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THE 


STUDENT'S   FROEBEL 


ADAPTED  FROM 


DIE  ERZIEHUNG  DER  MENSCHHEIT 
OF    F.   FROEBEL 


BY 

WILLIAM   H.   HERFORD   B.A.  LOND. 

SOMETIME   MEMBER  OF   THE   UNIVERSITIES 
BONN     BERLIN     AND   ZURICH 

AUTHOR   OF 

Tlte  School:  Essay  towards  Humane  Education 


t 


BOSTON,    U.S.A. 

D.    C.    HEATH   &   CO.,    PUBLISHERS 
1896 


Library 

L/3 


anna   Sncll 

(OF  JENA) 
WHO  AFTER  LEARNING  AND  PRACTISING  lit  HER  OWN  LAND 

THE  ART  AND  MYSTERY  OF  THE  KINDERGARTEN 

UPHELD  IN  ENGLAND  DURING  TWENTY-FIVE  YEARS  WITH 

UNWEARIED  ZEAL  AND  PERSEVERANCE 

THE  BANNER  OF  F.  FROEBEL 

THIS  LITTLE.  BOOK 
DESIGNED  TO  SERVE  THE  CAUSE  OF  HUMANE  EDUCATION 

IS  DEDICATED 

BY  HER  OLD  COMRADE  AND  FRIEND 
Ube  E&itot 


V 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 

PA6E3 

FROEBEL'S  LIFE  AND  WORK/- xi 

AUTHOR'S  INTRODUCTION            .        .        .        .        .        .  1-23 

1.  THE  NURSLING        .       .       .       „  —   .       .      .,       .  24-27 

2.  THE  CHILD 28-47 

3.  THE  BOY 48-67 

4.  SCHOOL 68- 

A.  PRELIMINARY 68 

B.  SUBJECTS  OF  TEACHING 69 

1.    INSTRUCTION   IN   RELIGION        .            .           .           .  71 

iL   STUDY  OF  NATURE   ......  73 

ill          „          „     FORMS 77 

"Tv.    MATHEMATIC 83 

V.   LANGUAGE 85 

O.    PRELIMINARY 85 

b.  WRITING  AND  READING       ....  88 

VI.   AKT 91 

C.  HOME  AND  SCHOOL 93 

MEANS  OF  EDUCATION  IN   COMMON — SCHEME   OF         .           .  97-98 

RETROSPECT 103 

CONCLUSION 107 

INDKX 109 


EDITOR'S  PREFACE. 

THE  purpose  of  this  little  book  is  to  give  to  young 
people,  who  are  seriously  preparing  themselves  to 
become  educators,  a  brief  yet  full  account  of  Froebel's 
c<  Theory  "  of  Education ;  his  "  Practice,"  or  Plans  of 
Method,  being  reserved  for  a  second  part.  The  work 
from  which  "The  Student's  Froebel"  is  adapted — 
"Die  Erziehung  der  Menschheit" — was  published  in 
the  maturity  of  its  author's  powers  (1826),  while  he 
was  still  hoping  to  effect  an  actual  Reform  of  the  teach- 
ing and  training  of  Youth,  from  Infancy,  up  to  Man- 
and  Woman-hood.  Froebel  is  known  over  the  world 
as  founder  of  the  "  Kindergarten "  rather  than  as  ex-  ^ 
ponent  of  a  New  Education,  because  experience  showed 
him  that  a  practical  Reform  of  •  Education  must  begin 
at  the  very  beginning.  From  the  centre  of  Mother's 
love  and  Mother's  wit,  he  unfolded  in  Theory  the  early 
training  of  Man  ;  which,  while  doing  full  justice  to  the 
immediate  needs  and  tastes  of  our  Little  Ones,  should 
prepare  for  all  Human  Development :  because  Youth 
and  Maturity  are  but  Man's  larger  growth.  The  book 
in  which  this  is  done,  "  The  Education  of  Humanity," 


via  EDITOR'S  PREFACE. 

was  never  competed.  The  first  part  only,  which  gives 
principles  and  methods  for  Training  and  Instruction  of 
Man,  from  birth  up  to  the  end  of  Boyhood,  thus  em- 
bracing two- thirds  of  the  time  fixed  by  immemorial 
custom  and  by  law,  for  pupilage,  was  published.  With 
marvellous  skill  in  adaptation  and  invention,  Froebel 
fitted  to  the  former  of  these  periods  the  beautiful 
"Means" — Gifts,  Songs,  Games.  Occupations — which 
give  to  the  Kindergarten,  when  ruled  in  his  spirit,  its 
preciousness,  as  true  Heaven  on  Earth  for  little  Children. 
He  left  us,  his  successors,  to  adapt  analogous  means  for 
the  development  of  later  stages,  saying  once :  if  in 
three  hundred  years'  time  his  ideas  were  completely 
realised,  he  should  rejoice  in  Heaven.  A  careful  study, 
even  of  this  little  book,  will  show  that  Froebel's  principles 
ask  to  be  realised  in  the  education  of  all  ages ;  that  his 
Motto  of  Theory — "Harmonious  Development" — and  his 
Watchword  of  Method — "  Learn  by  Doing  " — are  of  uni-  * 
versal  application  in  the  province  of  teaching :  in  a  word, 
that  he  has  drawn  the  lines  upon  which  "to  follow 
Nature,"  the  necessary  aim  of  all  Education,  but  of 
doubtful  meaning  with  his  forerunners,  becomes  the  * 
Law  of  Discipline.  Two  English  translations  only,  both 

published  at  New  York,  are  known  to  the  Editor.     The 

•*. 
former,  by  Josephine  Jarvis  (Lovell  &  Co.,  1886)  is  a 

monument  of  faithful  pains;  yet,  through  linguistic  dif- 
ficulties is  sometimes  scarcely  intelligible.  The  latter, 
by  W.  N.  Hailmann,  Superintendent  of  Public  Schools, 


EDITOR'S  PREFACE.  ix 

Indiana  (Appletons,  1888),  is,  when  £he  matter  is 
considered — eminently  facile  and  readable;  rounding, 
perhaps,  Froebel's  ridges  and  angles  more  smoothly 
than  he  might  approve.  This  Editor  would  be  made 
happy  by  knowing  that  the  perusal  of  his  little  book 
had  introduced  to  the  study  of  Hailmann's  excellent 
version  any  who  are  not  strong  enough  in  German 
speech  to  attempt  the  original. 

The  Editor  has  tried  to  give  what  is  Froebel's  own, 
in  English  as  close  as  possible  to  the  very  words  of  his 
author;  retaining  the  German  custom  of  commencing 
a  noun  with  a  capital  letter. 

The  larger  divisions  of  the  present  work  are  those  of 
F.  Seidel's  edition  of  the  Menschen-erziehung  (Vienna 
and  Leipzig,  1883),  which  has  been  employed  for 
translation.  For  the  numbered  sections  (§  1,  &c.)  the 
Editor  is  alone  responsible. 


THE    STUDENT'S    FROEBEL 


N^Trtof  ov5( 

Works  and  Days,  40. 

,/grfil)er  ober  fpater/  abev  immer  gcwif/  wtrb  fid)  bie 
Statin;  an  allem  Sl)un  bev  ?0lenfd)en  vad)cn,  bag  wibec 
fte  felbjl  tjl."—  ^ 


"What  we  do  not  call  Education  is  more  precious  than 
that  which  we  call  so."  —  R.  W.  EMERSON. 


FROEBEL'S  LIFE  AND  WORK.* 


FRIEDRICH  WILHELM  AUGUST  FROEBEL  was  born  April  21, 
1782,  in  a  Thuringian  village,  Oberweissbach,  of  which  his 
father  was  the  hard-working  pastor :  a  grave,  somewhat 
stern,  but  loving-hearted  man.  Losing  his  mother  within 
his  first  year,  having  kind  elder  brothers  but  no  sister,  the 
child  was  left  much  to  himself,  with  few  playmates  and 
little  outdoor  freedom.  (  His  father  tried  to  teach  him  his 
"rudiments,"  and  failed.  He  found  the  boy  dull,  and 
placed  him  in  the  Girls'  division  of  the  village  school,  of 
which  he  was  official  superintendent.  For  this  irregu- 
larity Friedrich  was  always  grateful,  and  he  repeated  to 
his  dying-day  the  hymns  he  had  learnt  there.  '•  In  a  short 
account  of  his  own  life,  he  says :  I  came  to  school  on  a 
Monday  morning  while  the  girls  were  repeating  aloud  the 
text  of  Sunday's  sermon,  "  Seek  ye  first  the  Kingdom  of 
God,"  and  to  this  day  (forty  years  later)  the  tone  of  every 
word  is  fresh  in  my  memory.  At  ten  years  of  age,  his 
mother's  brother,  Pastor  Hofmann  of  Stadt  Ilm,  took 
Friedrich  to  live  with  him  and  attend  the  Town  School. 
Here  he  learned  pretty  well;  preferring  the  classes  on 
Religion  and  Arithmetic  :  evincing  certainly  no  precocious 
wisdom  or  goodness,  as  we  judge  by  his  illustrations  of  boy- 
ish mischief  (post,  p.  61,  5),  told  with  a  gravity  most  un- 
consciously comic.  When  fifteen  (1 797)  Friedrich  returned 
home,  and  was  placed  for  two  years,  as  pupil  in  Wood-craft, 

*  Taken  chiefly  from  the  biography  by  F.  Seidel,  prefixed  to  his 
edition  of  Froebel's  Writings,  1883. 


ill  FKOEBEL'S  LIFE  AND  WORK. 

with  a  Forester,  whose  neglect  of  the  instruction  due 
from  him  left  the  lad  of  rare  gifts  and  character  to  unfold 
his  own  powers,  unimpeded.  Good  books  his  master  had ; 
so  Friedrich  worked  at  Botany,  studied  Mathematic,  and 
made  a  map  of  the  neighbourhood.  Near  the  end  of  1799, 
a  messenger  being  wanted  to  bring  to  his  brother  Traugott, 
Student  of  Medicine  at  Jena,  the  half-yearly  allowance, 
Friedrich,  having  left  the  Forester,  volunteered  on  this 
service.  When  at  Jena  he  begged  leave  to  stay  till  the 
Easter  vacation ;  afterwards  returned  for  a  year,  and 
devoted  himself  to  hearing  lectures.  The  two  brothers  lived 
most  frugally,  but  found  that  an  allowance,  spare  for  one, 
was  not  enough  for  two.  After  his  brother's  departure, 
Friedrich,  unable  to  pay  their  joint  debts  of  some  ^5,  or 
less,  was  committed  to  the  University  prison,  where  he 
spent  nine  weeks :  mending  his  Latin,  with  help  of  a  fellow- 
prisoner ;  studying  Winckelmann's  Letters  on  Art;  and 
writing  a  Mathematical  Essay.  By  pledging  his  small  ex- 
pectations, Friedrich  was  released  and  returned  home. 
Next  year  he  worked  on  a  farm,  but  was  recalled  home  by 
his  father's  failing  health,  and  had  the  happiness  of  minis- 
tering to  his  father's  comfort,  till  his  death,  February  1802. 
Left  wholly  to  his  own  resources,  he  worked  for  his  bread, 
as  clerk — secretary — book-keeper,  during  three  years  and 
more,  when  a  small  legacy  from  his  fatherly  uncle  Hofmann 
made  him  think  a  settled  profession  possible.  At  mid- 
summer 1805  he  set  out  for  Frankfurt,  hoping  to  make 
himself  an  Architect.  On  the  way,  he  visited  a  farmer 
friend,  who  at  parting  begged  from  Froebel — in  German 
fashion — a  verse  or  motto  for  his  album.  "  Not  knowing 
what  he  said  " — for  no  idea  of  becoming  an  Educator  had 
then  entered  his  mind ! — Froebel  wrote :  Gieb  du  den 
Menschen  Brot :  mein  Streben  sei,  sie  ihnen  selbst  zu  geben, 
"Be  it  yours  to  give  men  bread :  mine,  to  give  them — 
themselves"  His  call  was  on  the  way  ! 

When  Froebel  had  already  begun  work  with  an  archi- 
tect, a  Frankfurt  friend  introduced  him  to  Gruner,  Head 


PROEBEL'S  LIFE  AND  WORK.  xiii 

of  the  new  Model  School,  and  formerly  a  pupil  of 
Pestaloazi.  Gruner  said  to  him :  "  Let  architecture 
alone ;  become  a  teacher."  With  hesitation,  Froebel 
accepted  a  place  with  him ;  and,  at  once,  with  a  class 
of  children  before  him,  felt  he  had  found  his  life-work. 
Thenceforward  all  events  became  steps  towards  realising 
that  ideal  Education  of  Man  by  the  Harmonious  Develop- 
ment of  Body,  Mind,  and  Heart,  which  Froebel  conceived 
more  completely  and  vividly  than  any  of  his  precursors. 
In  August  1805,  Froebel  visited  Yverdun,  where  Pestalozzi 
had  his  Institute;  was  kindly  received,  and  in  three 
weeks  learned  enough  to  make  him  wish  to  come  again. 
He  taught  under  Gruner  for  two  years,  and  made  his 
class,  of  forty  girls  and  boys,  the  model  class  of  the  Model 
School.  In  method,  his  great  achievement  was  to  lay  the 
foundation  of  Geography  in  "  Home-knowledge " ;  that 
is,  points  of  the  compass — forms  of  surface — courses  of 
streams,  roads,  <fec.,  learned  in  country-walks  by  his  pupils' 
own  observation.  He  finds  bis  own  knowledge,  tried  by 
use,  defective,  and  to  better  it  quits  Frankfurt.  Unable 
to  afford  the  cost  of  University  residence,  Froebel  ac- 
cepts, and  for  three  years  retains,  the  post  of  tutor  to 
three  brothers ;  stipulating,  to  have  them  entirely  to 
himself,  in  the  country.  In  1808  he  takes  his  pupils  to 
Yverdun,  where,  for  two  years,  he  and  they  share  meals 
and  work  with  Pestalozzi,  his  teachers  and  pupils :  learn- 
ing, his  biographer  says,  "  to  know  both  the  good  and  the  ill 
sides  of  Pestalozzi's  theory  and  practice."  In  1811  Froebel 
studied  first  at  Gottingen,  then  at  Berlin,  eking  out  by 
private  lessons  his  scanty  means.  In  1813  the  War  of 
Liberation  from  France  called  every  German  patriot  to 
arms.  Among  his  fellow-volunteers,  Froebel  found 
two  students  of  theology — Langethal  and  Middendorff — 
his  first  converts,  and  afterwards  his  chief  fellow-workers. 
Their  vows,  to  work  together  for  the  Education  of 
Humanity,  were  exchanged  by  the  camp  fire,  under  starry 
heaven ;  while  discussion  of  Means  and  Methods.  Finance 


xiv  FKOEBEL'S  LIFE  AND  WORK. 

and  Philosophy,  occupied  the  hours  of  weary  waiting. 
When  the  war  was  over  (1814),  Froebel  returned  to  Berlin, 
to  be  Assistant  at  the  Museum  of  Mineralogy. 

The  summons  to  practical  work  came  (1816)  by  the 
death  of  his  brother  Christopher,  pastor  at  Griesheim, 
whose  widow  wrote  for  advice  how  to  educate  her  three 
boys.  Led  as  by  the  pointing  of  God's  finger,  Froebel  left 
Berlin,  visiting  on  the  way  another  brother,  Christian,  a 
manufacturer  with  moderate  means,  who  gave  him  his  two 
sons  as  pupils.  So  Froebel  began  school  in  the  parsonage 
at  Griesheim  as  teacher  of  his  five  nephews.  Midden dorff 
obeyed  the  summons  to  join  his  friend,  bringing  with  him 
a  younger  brother  of  Langethal's  as  sixth  recruit.  The 
parsonage  had  to  be  vacated,  so  a  small  farm,  Keilhau, 
was  bought,  and  Froebel  married  (1818)  Henrietta  Hoff- 
meister,  his  true  helpmeet  for  twenty-one  years.  Langethal 
coming  to  remove  his  brother,  found  his  old  enthusiasm  so 
revived  by  what  he  saw  that  he  stayed  to  throw  in  his  lot 
with  them.  When  new  buildings  were  needed  to  house 
new  piipils,  brother  Christian  wound  up  his  affairs  and 
settled  near  them  with  family  and  means.  In  1826, 
Keilhau  held  fifty-six  pupils.  Then  came  persecution 
about  "Demagogical  Intrigues."  The  German  "people" 
were  impatient  that  their  Princes  had  not  found  the 
convenient  season  for  granting  Free  Constitutions, 
promised  when  the  Nation  was  summoned  to  arm  against 
Napoleon,  in  1813.  Froebel  was  no  conspirator;  but  his 
training,  being  humane,  was  suspected.  Keilhau  was  in- 
spected, by  State  and  Church,  and  reports  were  favourable. 
Parents,  however,  were  alarmed,  and  (1829)  the  number  of 
pupils  fell  from  sixty  to  jive.  The  storm  was  weathered, 
though  the  little  band  of  brothers  had  often  ut  jost  diffi- 
culty in  finding  money  for  daily  needs.  In  1831,  Froebel 
left  the  Saxon  School  to  his  friends,  having  been  invited  to 
form  one  at  Willisau,  near  Lucerne.  In  1833,  he  removed 
to  Burgdorf,  near  Berne,  where  orphan  children,  aged  from 
four  to  six  years  were  received,  and  training-classes  for 


FROEBEL'S  LIFE  AND  WORK.  XT 

Teachers  held.  Herein  we  recognise  the  rise  of  the 
Kindergarten,  not  yet  so  named.  In  1839  his  wife  died.  ! 
To  commemorate  the  400th  anniversary  of  the  Invention 
of  Printing  (1840)  he  commenced  the  "  German  Kinder- 
garten": to  consist  of  Classes,  to  train  young  women  as 
Nurses  and  Teachers,  in  true  methods  of  development; 
along  with  a  school  for  little  children  whom  they  should 
teach.  He  travelled  far  to  procure  money  for  this  under- 
taking, but  his  success  was  very  modest,  though  at  Ham- 
burg, Dresden,  and  elsewhere,  Child-gardens  were  set  up. 
Now  and  then  a  "  Schoolman "  visited  Froebel,  and  ex- 
changed contempt  for  admiration.  Diesterweg,  for  example, 
an  excellent  writer  on  Pedagogy,  avows  his  complete 
conversion.  A  few  great  ones  of  the  earth  did  themselves 
the  honour  to  help  and  second  Froebel's  work ;  but  he  did 
not  live  to  hear  the  chorus  of  praise,  of  himself  and  his 
system,  that  resounds  to-day;  which,  like  all  voices  of  earth 
that  rise  above  a  whisper,  contains  many  weak  notes  and 
false  tones.  In  August  1850,  Froebel  then  in  his  69th 
year,  directed  games,  songs  and  marches  of  a  School  ( 
festival,  at  which  300  children  were  entertained  by  the 
Duchess  of  Meiningen  at  her  summer-palace,  Altenstein : 
Chateau  Marienthal,  was  granted  him  for  a  trailing 
college  :  and  success — by  the  world  so  called — seemed  about 
to  smile.  Next  year,  7th  August  1851^  Prussia  prohibits 
the  Kindergarten  in  her  States,  on  the  ground  that  it 
taught  children — Atheism !  This  blow,  questionless, 
depressed  Froebel,  but  did  not  kill  either  him  or  his  cause. 
The  German  Teachers'  Association,  meeting  at  Gotha, 
Whitsuntide,  1852,  invited  his  presence;  received  and 
heard  him  with  distinguished  honour.  A  few  days  later  i^j 
he  fell  ill,  and  on  21st  June  died.  His  last  words  were, 
"  I  am  a  Christian  Man." 

Froebel  was  a  Prophet  and  Apostle  of  the  Kingdom 
of  God,  in  the  true  meaning  of  words.  His  are  the  notes : 
ceaseless  toil,  disappointment,  conflict — waged,  endured, 
nay !  cheerfully  supported,  by  the  consciousness  of  serving 


xvi  FROEBEL'S  LIFE  AND  WORK. 

God.  We  are  reminded  of  St.  Paul :  "  Woe  is  me  if  1 
preach  not  the  Gospel :  "  and  Luther,  "  Here  I  stand  !  I 
can  no  other :  God  help  me ! "  A  man  of  true  genius, 
if  we  prefer  the  term ;  by  three  acknowledged  Hall- 
marks: 1.  "Inward  force  of  Idea;"  working  like  in- 
spiration, mastering  the  whole  man.  2.  "  Infinite  power 
of  taking  pains " : — in  bringing-out  this  inward  force 
to  work  on  the  world  that  needs  reforming:  he  studies 
every  science — toils  at  whatever  comes  to  hand — claims 
the  hearing  of  every  one  —  fails  only  to  try  again. 
3.  "Turns  what  it  touches  into  gold."  Cheapest,  com- 
monest materials,  old-fashioned  games  and  verses ;  not 
least  the  mother's  baby-songs  and  finger-plays :  all  are 
worked  into  a  tissue  of  such  strange  power  that,  while 
best,  truly,  if  retained  as  a  whole  and  used  as  Froebel 
meant  it,  yet  every  morsel  is  precious :  and  even  the 
travesty  of  Kindergarten,  not  infrequent  alas !  in  the 
educational  market,  takes  the  place  qf  something  worse, 
viz. — the  Bod  and  the  Rote-learning  of  our  ancestors. 


Sntrofcuction. 

6  1.  In  everything  dwells  and   rules   an  eternal  L^™1.65 

y  J  m  all  things : 

Law.      This    Law    expresses  itself,    distinctly   and 

clearly,  alike  in  what  is  external  to  Man — Nature ; 

in  what  is  internal  .to  Man — the  Soul ;  and  in  what 

unites  these  two — Life.     Human  Minds  of  opposite  in  Nature, 

Types  perceive  this  equally :  those  which  start  from  Life.0" 

Faith,  and  are  thoroughly  possessed  by  the  Feeling 

that  Nothing  else  can  be  [than  what  Faith  tells ;]  and  Minds  that 

i  •   i  '   i        i  T         IT  i'ii-ii  T      set  out  from 

those  which,  with  clear  Intelligence,  behold  through  belief, 
the  Outward  that  which  is  Within  ;  and  see  that  the  which  pro- 
External  grows  necessarily  from  the  Internal.      As  reasoning, 
Foundation  of  this  all-ruling  Law,  exists  of  Necessity  ceive  this. 
a  conscious,  almighty,  and  eternal  Being.     All  this  Law  depends 
was  recognized  from  the  Beginning;    is,  and  ever  ai^hTy, 
will  be,  recognized  by  every  quietly  heedful  human  conTdo'us, 
Heart,  and  by  every  thoughtful  Intellect  of  Man. 

This  Being  is  God.  Every  Thing  came  forth  from  in  God  ai 
God,  and  by  God  alone  is  governed  ;  so  that  the  sole  and  move 
Foundation  of  all  Things  is  God.  In  Every  Thing,  their  being. 

/-^     -i         i  IT  TI  mi  •  -i         i     •  The  essence 

God  rules  and  lives.    Jb very  Thing  rests  and  subsists  of  each  thing 
in  God.    Things  exist  only  because  God  acts  in  them.  ^  it. 
The  Divine  that  acts  in  each  Thing  is  the  Essence  of 
that  Thing. 


2  THE  STUDENT'S  FROEBEL. 

AII  things          §  2.  The  Destination  of  all  Things  is  by  unfolding 

toerevlained   to  set  forth  their  Essence,  which  is  the  Divine  that 

lives  in  them  :  thus,  to  reveal  God  in  and  by  what 

Man  s  es-  * 

peciai  end      [g  outward  and  transitory.     The  special  Destination 

is  to  know  •     * 

Wm^'vinein  °f  Man>  as  a  Being  endowed  with  Perception  and 
humanity  :  Reason,  is  to  become  fully  and  clearly  conscious  of 
this  b°yhivseal  nis  own  Essence  —  the  Divine  that  is  in  him,—  and  to 
make  it  manifest  in  his  own  Life.  The  Education 
Education  of  Man  is  the  Awakening  and  Training  of  his  Hu- 

of  Man  is          J  '  .     &  . 

the  training    manity  to  Consciousness  and  Reflection,  so  that  his 

of  Man  to  y  .  '        .      . 

express  the    outward  Life  maybe  an  Expression  of  this  inward 

inward  law 

in  his  actual     Law 

life. 

§  3.  Recognition  of  this  eternal  Law,  with  Insight 
into  its  Foundation  and  the  Variety  of  its  Operations, 
True  is    Sci&nce  —  Science    of  Life:   and  that    Law,  when 

sdlncTof     applied  in  Practice  by  the  thinking  Creature  on  and 
knoew  that      by  itself,  is  Science,  of  Education. 
Science  of         A  System  of  Rules  issuing  from  Knowledge  of  that 

Education  *      ,  °  .  . 

is  to  apply     Law,  designed  to  enable  rational  Beings  to  become 

that  law  to  .  3  .  ' 

practice.        conscious   of   their   Destination,  and  to  fulfil  it,  is 

Doctrines 

of  Educa-      Doctrine  of  Education. 

tion  are  the 

rules  growing      Voluntary  Application  of  this  Knowkdae  (science, 

from  faith  in  •* 

Artof^'        or   doctrine]    so   as  to    develop   and    train  rational 
Teachmg^is    Beings,   in   order  to    attain  their  true  Destiny,   is 

O 


this  Science 
to  tram  ra- 

tionaibeings.       §  4^  r^^  ^m  Qf  Education  is  to  produce  a  pure, 

faithful,  complete,  and  therefore  holy,  Life. 
Life-wisdom        Knowledge    and    Practice    united  ;    Theory   and 
andnperforme-  Application  coalescing  into  pure,  faithful,  and  com- 

ance  united  ;        ,  T  .     .  ,   .       .        T  .,          .     , 

the  highest     plete  Living  ;  this  is  L^fe-w^saom. 

and  best  To   be  wise  is  the  highest  Endeavor  possible  to 

achievement  ,      .         .  .        ,.,        ,1-,          ,          /.»r. 

of  Man.        Man;  it  is  also  the  highest  Result  of  Mans  self- 
determining  Power. 


INTRODUCTION.  3 

To   educate   oneself   and   others,    with   conscious  \\kJom's 
Purpose,  is  the  two-fold  work  of  Wisdom.  WoV-to 

This  Work  commenced  with  the  first  Appearance  andVthers— 
of  Man  on  Earth ;  it  was  in  full  Action  as  soon  as 
the  Individual  began  to  be  completely  self-conscious ;  began  with 
it  asserts  itself  to-day  as  the  necessary  Claim  for  all  ^a*^ 
Human-beings  ;    and   as   such    will  by-and-by  find  onearth> 
Hearing  and  Fulfilment.     Thus  to  work  is  to  walk  and  now  is 
on  the  Eoad  which  alone  "  leadeth  unto  Life  " ;  which  uTe^ht  and 
guides   without   fail   to   the   Satisfaction   of   Man's  ThJo°niy 
inward,  and  not  less  of   his  outward,  Needs  ;   the  leaXth  into 
Way,  therefore,  which  conducts,  through  consistent, 
pure,  and  holy  Living,  to  the  Blessed  Life. 

§  5.  The  Divine  in  Man,  which  is  his  Essence,  is  Education  u 
to  be  unfolded  and  brought  to  his  Consciousness  by  MaiJ-Tom- 
means  of  Education  ;  and  Man  himself  is  to  be  raised  hjs°owness> 
to  a  Consciousness  of  living  up  to,  and  realising  in  nature,  that 
Freedom,  the  Divine  which  acts  within  him.  worthy  of* : 

The  Divine  as  it  exists  in  Nature  is  to  be  brought  to  show  him 
to  Man's  Knowledge  by  Education;  which,  at  the  Nature'1161 
same  time,  is  to  show  that  both  Nature  and  Man  are  governed  by 

...          T  like  laws 

governed  by  similar  Laws.  *»&  Man. 

Education  is  to  lead  Man  to  realise  in  his  Life  the 
Truth  that  Nature  and  Man  came  forth  from  God, 
are  ruled  by  God,  and  rest  in  God. 

Education  should  guide  Man  to  the  Understanding  Education, 
of  himself ;   to  Peace  with  Nature ;    and  to  Union  brings  man 

__.  ,  ,  .  ,         to  know  him. 

with    God.      Education,  therefore,  has  to  raise  the  self;  to  live 
Human-being  to  a   Knowledge  of   himself  and  of  Nature,  and 
Humanity  ;  to  a  Knowledge  of  God  and  of  Nature ;  with  God : 
and  to  the  pure  and  holy  Life  which  follows  from  pure  and 

*  holy  Life. 

this  Knowledge. 

The  above  five  sections  are  given  in  the  exactest 


4  THE  STUDENT'S  FROEBEL. 

version  which  I  have  found  possible  of  F. 
Froebel's  own  words. — ED. 

The  -within.  F.  proceeds,  his  expression  being  somewhat 

La  of  CMan,  abridged,  while  nothing  is  added. 

known  only  §  6.  The  Essence  or  Divine  Part  of  Things,  and 
shew  out- ey  of  Man,  is  known  through  their  outward  Expression 
Hence,  con-  [cannot  be  known  otherwise].  Hence  must  be  ad- 
wh"  which'  mitted  that  the  Utterances  [i.e.,  outward  effects,  or 
i>dimme.°n  results],  whether  of  Man  or  of  other  Creatures,  are 
cerned.c°r  the  Matters  with  which  Training  and  Instruction 
are  concerned. 

So  far  is  undeniable  :  now  comes  one  of 
F.'s  axioms,  which  may  seem  to  many  by 
no  means  self-evident. 

ipsedixit.  The  Nature  of  Things  demands  that  in  every  Re- 
lation we  infer  not  directly,  but  inversely,  from  the 
Outward  to  the  Inward,  and  from  the  Inward  to  the 
Outward. 

inference  His  argument   is '.--  Great  harm    in   family  and 

behavior  to  school,  endless  misconstruction  leading  to  fatal 

tentionis  iniustice,   come   from   direct    inferences   from 

often  fatally  J  '  .      i  i        i     T         • 

unjust.  outward   and   visible   behavior  to  the    unseen 

purpose ;  to  the  heart.  And  the  fact,  obvious  to 
careful  observation  on  which  F.  builds  up  his 
axiom,  is : 

Achiidtjiat    A  Child  which  seems  good,  outwardly,  is  often  not 
is  so,  some-    good,  inwardly :  i.e.,  does  not  try  to  be  good  out  of 

times,  only  •!,••»•««*  11  • 

to  please;      Love    and   with    Self-control,    but  is  contented  to 

while  one  . 

outwardly     seem  so:   while   one  who  is   outwardly   rough   and 

froward  is  .  '  .  J  & 

often  striving  wilful  often  has  within  It  a  most  zealous  Endeavor 

tf  do  right. 

to  do  right;  likewise,  an  apparently  inattentive 
Child  may  have  within  It  a  steady  Though tfulness 
that  hinders  Its  heeding  things  outward. 


INTRODUCTION.  5 

§  7.  Therefore  Education  and  Instruction  should  Education 
from  the  very  first  be  passive,  observant,  protective  ;  the  first  and 
rather  than  prescribing,  determining,  interfering. 

This  follows,  F.    says,   from  the  definition   of  We  should 
Education :  that  Education  is,  simply,  helping  g^ltmpiy 
the  Divine  within  us  to  come  forth,  to  act.  they  ukfno 

We  must  assume  that  the  young  Human-being  aims  hana> 
surely,  if  unconsciously,  at  what  is  best  for  itself, 
and  feels  within  it  Power  and  Means  to  attain  this. 
So  the  Duckling  hurries  into  the  Water ;  a  Chick 
scratches  on  the  Ground  for  its  Meat,  and  the  young 
Swallow  catches  Food  on  the  Wing. 

These,  he  says,  are  fair  illustrations.  They 
know  what  they  are  about !  So  does  a  child, 
when  it  tests  everything,  with  tongue  and 
finger ;  tries  every  movement,  and  reaches  after 
every  new  object. 

§  8,  To  young  Plants  and  Animals  we  give  Space,  space,  and 
and  Time,  and  Rest,  knowing  that  they  will  unfold  reTt^r" 
to  Beauty,  by  Laws  working  in  each.     We  avoid  young 

,  i  t         T-I  f  ,-i  i      animals  and 

acting  on  them  by  Force,  for  we   know  that  such  plants: 
Intrusion   upon  their   natural   Growth   could   only 
injure    their    Development.     Yet   Man   treats  the  we  treat 
young  Human-being  as  if  It  were  a  piece  of  Wax,  a  S'beings 
lump  of  Clay ;  out  of  which  he  can  mould  what  he  they  wUesr« 
will !     0   Men !     as  you  stroll   through   Garden  or 
Meadow,  Field  or  Copse,  why  use  you  not  your  Senses 
to  perceive  what  Nature  by   her  silent   Language  Apiantf 
would  teach  you?     Behold  the  Plant— you  call  it  |>n0dTpgres. 
Weed :  when  grown  under  Pressure  and  Constraint  d^ia^tT 
you   scarcely   guess  its  natural    Life  and   Purpose,  meaning; 
But  in  open  Ground  see  what  Regularity  it  shows,  free*hows 
how  its  inward  Life  becomes  manifest ;    a   Sun   of  blauty"1* 


6  THE  STUDENT'S  FROEBEL. 

green  Rays,  a  Star  of  Leaves,  comes  forth  out  of  the 
Thus,  our      Ground  !     Your  Children  too,  O  Parents,  have  it  in 

children,  ' 

forced  by      them   to   become   Creatures   fully    developed    into 

unfit  sur-  • 

roundings,     Beauty  i  but  if  you  early  force  on  them  Form   and 

grow  stunted  *  J  • 

-distorted     Work,  that  are  unsuited  to  their  Nature,  they  will 

— m  spirit.  » 

grow  stunted  and  misshapen,  through  those  un- 
natural Conditions. 

AH  coercive        §9.  All  Training  and  Instruction  which  prescribes, 
may  injure     and  fixes,  that  is,  interferes  with  Nature,  must  tend 

growth. 

to  limit  and  injure,  if  we  consider  the  Action  of  the 
Divine,  and  take  Man  as  in  his  primal  Beauty  and 
original  Health. 

To  borrow  a  Lesson  from  Plant-culture  :  the  Vine 
has  to  be  pruned,  but  pruning  by  itself  brings  no 
Fruit ;  indeed,  by  pruning,  the  Vine  may  be  killed, 
or  its  power  of  bearing  Fruit  ruined,  unless  the 
Gardener  proceed  most  cautiously,  heeding  the 
nature  of  the  Plant.  In  the  Treatment  of  Animals 
and  Plants,  we  often  take  the  right  Course,  while 
with  Human-beings  we  begin  quite  wrong.  Yet  in 
all  Things  [animals,  plants,  human  beings],  are  work- 
ing Powers,  that  flow  from  one  Spring,  and  act  by 
similar  Laws.  .  .  . 
in  fa<-t,  an  As  Matter  of  Fact,  an  unspoiled  original  Condition 

unspoiled 

original st.-.tt  [3  rarely  to  be  seen  in  Nature:  least  of  all  in  Man. 

rarely  exists  * 

in  objects ;     por  that  very  Reason,  always,  and  above  all  in  the 

most  rarely 

in  Man:  individual  Human-being,  the  unspoiled  Condition 
must  be  assumed,  until  the  contrary  be  proved  : 
otherwise,  wherover  really  found,  it  would  soon  be 
impaired.  When  however,  we  are  able  to  judge  with 
Certainty  that  the  original  Condition  has  been 

and  when      spoiled  ;  then  a  directly  coercive  mode  of  Treatment 

perversion         .  ,,     -,    ,, 

u  certainly       IS  Called  IOr. 


INTRODUCTION.  7 

Emphasizing  the  difficulty  involved  in  this  inferred, 
certain  inference,  F.  insists,  that  even  when  wil-  entersT 
ful  naughtiness  has  to  be  stopped ;  even  then : —  even  where 

.     .  T  .  ,  interference 

Doctrine,  Training,  and  Instruction  have  to  be  far  is  needed, 

•  i  i  •  ^e  must 

more   passive   and  observant,  than  interfering    and  interfere  as 

r  °  littleaspos- 

coercive,  because  needless  Interference  and  Coercion  sibie. 
impair  the  simple  Development,  and  steady  Pro- 
gress of  Humanity.  For  [as  F.  never  tires  of  in- 
sisting], to  realise  the  Divine  in  Man  and  through 
Man's  Life,  with  Freedom  and  Self-determination,  is 
the  very  Goal  of  all  Education,  the  Aim  of  Life ; 
what  Man  is  in  the  World  for. 

If  Teachers,  Elders,  persist  in  trying  to  force 
pupils  into  some  form  of  character  and  work  _. 
which  parents  prefer,  instead  of  helping  young 
ones  to  grow  into  what  God  made  them  for,  the 
aim  of  true  Education  is  absolutely  defeated. 
Yet  with  the  firmest  and  strongest  pronounce- 
ment that  every  form  of  pressure  and  compulsion 
should  be  avoided,  by  all  who  have  charge  of 
children,  wherever  possible,  and  as  long  as 
possible,  F.  combines  the  plain  admission 
that  false  choice,  wrong  deed,  on  the  part  of 
child  or  pupil  are  never  to  be  yielded  to,  are 
not  to  be  taken  as  inevitable,  but  resisted  and 
put  down — whenever  necessary ;  that  is,  when 
through  inherited  character — social  circum- 
stances, etc.,  the  passive,  waiting  method  has 
been  duly  tried,  and  plainly  failed. 

§  10.  Abstract  Truth   and  the  Ideal  of  Conduct  coercion 
must,  and  do  in  fact,  exert  themselves  inexorably  unavoidable 
and  unconditionally.     But  they  do  this  only  where  necessity 

-KT  '  1  ••*•»•  11  W'"   kg  3C~ 

.Necessity   speaks   out   in   Circumstances,   and    the  knowiedged 


8  THE  STUDENT'S  FROEBEL. 

by  the  sub-    individual  Character ;  and  where  the  Necessity  will 

jectsofit.  *  * 

one   day  be  acknowledged  by  those  to  whom   the 

Pressure  is  applied. 

To  sum  up  the  extreme  difficulty  and  danger  of 
all  coercion,  while  acknowledging  it  to  be  some- 
times inevitable,  he  gives  an  oracular  utterance, 
of  power  methinks  to  make  all  teachers  examine 
their  ways. 
ta\ipsedixu  In  good  Education  genuine  Instruction  and  true 

that  must  °  ° 

Teaching,  Necessity  calls  forth  Freedom,  Law  evokes 
Self-determination,   external    Constraint  calls  forth 
internal  Free-will,  Hate  from  without  evokes  Love 
from  within.     Wherever  Hatred  begets  Hatred,  and 
Law   calls  into   being   Deceit   and   Crime ;    where 
Constraint  produces  slavish  Feeling,  and  Necessity 
Sense    of    Bondage;    wherever    Pressure    destroys 
inward  Activity,  and  Severity  engenders  Rebellion 
and  Falsehood :  there  all  genuine  Education,  all  true 
working  of  teaching  and  instruction,  is  at  an  end. 
AH  human     That  this  latter  State  of  Things  may  be  escaped,  and 
mUust°actyas    the  former  attained,  whatever  acts  with  Authority 
higher          must  go  to  work  observantly.     This  is  secured  when 
so  that  all      all  Education,  Teaching,  Instruction,  though  acting 
arbitrary  is     with  Authority,  bears  yet  the  incontestable  Stamp 

banished.  .,    ',*         i  . 

of   being   itself  subject  to  an  over-ruling  Xaw,  an 
inevitable  Necessity,  which  excludes  Caprice. 
TrueEduca-       §  H-  All  true  Education  and  Teaching  therefore, 
gTveand10     every   genuine   Educator   and   Teacher,  has  to   be 
actite  and     always,  in  every  Detail,  two-sided  ;  to  give  and  take — 
ExeTami      join  and  divide — command  and  obey — act  and  bear — 
manage  and  let  alone — be  fixed  and  movable.     The 
Above  both    Child  or  Pupil  is  to  be  so  likewise ;  and  betwixt  the 
Pupii-a       two — Tutor  and  Pupil,  Command  and  Obedience — ' 


INTRODUCTION.  9 

rules  unseen  a  third  Term,  whereto  Tutor  and  Pupil  third  term, 

.  the  abstract 

are  alike  and  equally  sumect.       This  third  is  the  Right,  is 

"  ruling. 

ideal  Best — the  abstract  Eight — as- it  issues  from  the  The  Teacher 
Conditions  of  each  Case,  and  expresses  itself,  im-  i%u'tTrmh, 
personally.     The  Teacher  has  to  express,  simply  and 
firmly,    sometimes   even   gravely   and   severely,    his  and  the 
clear  Acquaintance  with,  and  quiet  Obedience  to,  quick  to  dis. 
this  third  Term.     The  Pupil,  too,  has  a  wonderfully  ?  command 

is  arbitrary 

fine   Feeling   for  it.     A   Child   rarely  fails  to   see  orimper- 
whether  what  Parent  and  Teacher  order  or  forbid, 
comes  from  themselves — personally,  arbitrarily — or 
is  the  Expression  of  universal  and  necessary  Truth, 
speaking  through  them. 

§  12.  Willing  Submission  to  this  changeless  third  NO  detail  is 
Term,  whereto  Teacher  and  Pupil  are  equally  subject,  obey  ab- 
ought  to  be  expressed  in  every  Command  of, the 
Teacher,  to  the  minutest  Detail.  So,  the  universal 
Formula  for  Instruction  is :  Do  this,  and  see,  in 
this  particular  Case,  what  will  follow  from  your 
Action,  and  what  Knowledge  it  will  bring  you. 
And  the  Prescription  for  Life  itself,  for  every  one — 
is:  Manifest  in  your  outward  Action,  your 
spiritual  Being,  that  which  lives  in  you,  your  true 
Life ;  and  see  what  your  Being  needs  and  what  it 
is  like. 

Thus,  Jesus  says,  the  divinity  of  his  mission  is 

to  be  known  :  "  If  any  man  willeth  to  do  His  [Ev  :  John 

•  vii.  17.] 

will,  he  shall  know  of  the  teaching  whether  it 

be  of  God  or  whether  I  speak  from  ^myself ." 

Hence  the  following  Demand  is  understood, — and 

the  Method  of  its  Fulfilment  is  given,  at  the  same 

Time.     The  Aim  of  the  Educator,  the   Purpose  of 

Teaching,  is  to  make  the  Special,  universal,  and  the 


10  THE  STUDENT'S  FROEBEL. 

Universal  special,  and  prove  the  existence  of  both  :  it 
is  to  make  the  Outward  inward,  to  make  the  Inward 
outward,  and  show  the  necessary  Unity  of  them  :  it 
is  to  consider  the  Finite  infinitely,  and  the  Infinite 
finitely,  and  to  realise  them  both  ;  it  is  to  perceive 
and  behold  Divineness  in  the  Human,  to  prove  the 
Being  of  Man  in  God,  and  to  exhibit  them  united  in 
Life. 

The   course   prescribed  is   seen  more  clearly,  to 

come    from    Man's    Nature,     asserts    itself    more 

positively,  the  more  Man  contemplates  Humanity  in 

From  the      himself  ,  in  the  rising  Generation,  and  in  the  historical 

itsSiife!ywh°at  Development  of  Mankind. 

a  child's  §  13.  If,  then,  to  realize  the  Infinite  by  means  of 

must  be  dis-  the  Finite,  the  Heavenly  by  the  Earthly,  the  Divine 
fostered.  by  Man  and  through  Man's  Life,  thus  cherishing  his 
The  child  originally  Divine  Nature  ;  if  this  comes  to  us  as  in- 
weicomed  as  disputably  the  sole  End  and  Aim  of  Education,  what 

a  gift  of  God. 

follows  but  that  the  human  Being  must  be  regarded 
[Deodatus,     in  this  Light  from  the  very  beginning  of  Its  existence? 

Adeodatus,       .^  /~ii   -i  i    •        T->-     i  <•  T         r-{  •  i  • 

Theodore,      Every  Child  in  Kight  or  Its  Soul  is  to  be  received  as 

Theodotus,  *  _  .    . 

Theodosius,  something  Divine  appearing  in  human  Form  as  a 
feminines,  Pledge  of  God's  Grace,  a  Gift  of  God.  Such  the 

occur  to  us.]  " 

early   Christians,   by   the   Names    they   gave  their 
Children,  really  acknowledged  them  to  be. 
§  14.  Every  Child  ought  to  be  acknowle 
cared  for  as  an  essential  Member  of  Huma 
nectioiiwith  thus  Parents,  as  Guardians,  ought  to  feel  themselves 

all  past,  .  . 

present!  and  responsible  to  God,  to  the  Child,  and  to  Mankind. 
folding  of  Just  so,  Parents  ought  to  regard  the-  Child  as  in 

mankind.  .  ° 

necessary  Connexion  with  the  Present,  the  Past,  and 
the  Future  of  human  Development;  and  bring  the 
Child's  Training  into  Accord  with  the  Claims  of 


The  child  to       §  14.  Every  Child  ought  to  be  acknowledged  and 
as  inaneces-r   cared  for  as  an  essential  Member  of  Humanity  :  and 


INTRODUCTION.  11 

Mankind's  Development,  as  it  has  been,  is,  and  shall 
be 

§  15.  Man — Humanity   in  Man    as   an  outward  Man  is  not 

•m-       ./>  .  •  i  •  i  to  be  taken 

Manifestation — is  on  no  Account  to  be  viewed  as  ascom- 

r*  11-11  •  pleted,  but 

complete,  nxed,  accomplished;  but  as  continuously  ascominu- 

unfolding  from  one  Stage  of  Development  to  another;  folding 


is  a 


ever  growing  towards  a  Goal  which  rests  in  Eternity  ?°ai  resting 

and  Infinitv.  bosom  of 

.  .  God- 

True,  each  successive  Generation,  each  successive  AH  genera- 
Individual,  has  to^pass  through,  for  himself,  all  bdmduait; 
previous  human  Development :  and  he  does  pass  fheSentir°eU8 
through  it,  or  he  would  not  understand  either  the  oflh^h^man 
Past  or  the  Present ;  but  this  is  in  the  living  Way  of  growth,Unot 
self-active  Growth,  not  by  lifeless  Copying 

§  16.  Humanity  in  every  Individual  ought  to  be  Each  human 
presented  in  the  Shape  that  is  his  own ;  so  that  the  present  °u 
Nature  of  Humanity  and  of  God,  as  infinite,  eternal,  his^nway": 
and  containing  all  Variety,  may  be  felt,  and  recog-  infinite  e 

,  T    ,  •       ,  i  -,  capabilities 

nised,  and  ever  more  distinctly  perceived.  of  Man  will 

•XT  •  m         -I  •  -i     m       •     •  (•    i  r  ^  sh°wn- 

JNo  true,  genuine  Tending  and  1  raining  of  Man-  Adequate 
kind  can  grow,  bloom,  bear  fruit,  and  ripen  out  of  Ma^'cfn0 
any  other  root  but  full  and  complete  Knowledge  of  f?0°m  full  y* 
Man  from  the  earliest  Commencement  of  his  Being :  Man.  AH 
whatever  else  needs  to  be  known  and  used  in  this  methods  of 
Tending  and  Training  will,  if  earnestly  sought,  be  grow  out  of 
found  to  follow  naturally  from  this  Knowledge.  .  .  .  ledge. 

§  17.  Hence  follows  simply  what  Parents  ought  to  Parents 
do  and  to  be,  for  their  Children's  Welfare.     They  pure ;  fun 
ought  to  be  pure  and  clean  in  Word  and  Deed  ;  to  worth,  as 
be  filled  with  a  Sense  of  the  Worth  and  Dignity  of  guardians  of 
Man;  to  consider  themselves  Guardians  of  a  Gift  of  and  study' 

Its  destiny* 

God;  to  study  the  Function  and  Destiny  of  Man, 
with  all  Ways  and  Means  of  reaching  it 


13  THE  STUDENTS  7ROKBEL. 

§  18.  Children,  Members  of  a  Family,  wffl  best 
exhibit  the  native  Gifts,  known  or  unknown,  of  the 
Family,  if  each  Child,  each  Member,  unfolds  itself 
most  completely  and  moat  originally.  So  Human- 

npwtgg  a«  {TmVlrMri  tm  i-*nn  xna  Mffmlmi  •  OI  HumamtT. 

wfll  best  represent  the  Union  of  God  and  Man,  which 
exists  really  though  unperceived,  if  each  Individual 
unfolds  Itself  as  completely  and  originally  as  pos- 
sible  - 

§  19-  Therefore  from  Its  very  Birth,  from  Us  first 
Appearance  upon  Earth,  the  Child  should  be  taken 
for  what  It  is  [Man,  in  germ],  and  hare  a  free,  all- 
~\  :  :.""        round  Use  of  Its  Strength.     No  one  Limb  or  Power 

should  erer  be  fostered  at  the  Expense  of  the  rest : 

.-  -.. 

the  Child  should  not  be  fettered,  bound,  swathed : 


nor  by  and  by,  held  in  Leading-strings.     The  Child 
should  learn  as  early  as  possible  to  find  within  Itself 


the  Centre  of  all  Its  Powers ;  on  this  Centre  to  rest ; 
and  resting  on  it  to  act  and  more  freely.  It  should 
be  taught  to  grasp  and  hold  fast  with  Its  own  Hands ; 
to  stand  and  walk  on  Its  own  Feet ;  to  look  and  see 
with  Its  own  Eyes ;  thus  to  use  all  Its  Powers  equally, 

evenly 

§  20.  The  Child's  first  Expression  is  that  of  Force. 
The  Exhibition  of  Force  calls  out  Counter-force; 
hence  the  Child's  first  Crying ;  hence  It  kicks  against 
whatever  resists  Its  feet;  hence  It  seizes  whatever 
Its  Hands  touch.  Soon  after,  or  along  with  this. 
social  Feeling  is  developed  in  the  Child :  hence  Its 
SmUtng,  Its  evident  Pleasure  at  moving  Its  Limbs 
in  comfortable  Warmth,  bright  Light,  and  pure  fresh 
Air :  this  is  the  first  awaking  of  the  Child's  human 
Consciousness. 


INTRODUCTION.  13 

§  21.  The  earliest  Utterances  of  the  Child — that  what  the 
is,   the  first   Expressions    of   human    Life; — are;  heipfui"siu 
Rest    and    Unrest,    Pleasure    and    Pain,    Smiling  folding 
and  Crying.     Rest,  Pleasure,  and  Smiling  betoken  andsmiimg. 
whatever,   in   the   Child's    feeling,   suits   the   pure  feds  hinder- 

ing  It  marks 

development  of  Its  being ; — that  is,  of  Human  Life  fcy  Uneasi- 
at  the  Child's  Stage :  to  keep  these  undisturbed,  all  crying. 
the  Care,  which  is  the  beginning  of  Education,  must 
be  applied. 

Uneasiness,  Pain,  and  Crying  betoken  at  first 
whatever  hinders  human  Development  in  the  Child : 
and  all  Rudiments  of  Education  must  attend  to  these, 
trying  to  find  out  and  remove  their  Causes. 

§  22.  In   the  earliest   Crying,   or   Expression   of  At  first,  no 
Uneasiness,   there   is   assuredly  no    Self-will;    but  theexpr^ 
Self-will  springs  up  very  early — we  cannot  tell  when,  uS^t. 
or  how — as  soon  as  ever  the  little  Being,  scarcely  ^™uup 
more  than  a  human  Plant,  begins  to  feel  that  It  has  «  My^nse 
been  left  by  some  one's  Caprice  or  Indolence,  to  that  neglect'  °f 
which  causes  It  Uneasiness  or  Pain.     When  this  sad 
Feeling  has  once  infected  the  Child,  Self-will,  first 
and  ugliest  of  Faults,  is  alive 

§  23.  Even  when  the  right  Way  is  taken,  there  Man  ^  to 
may  be  Errors  in  Method.  It  is  Man's  Nature  and  %££** 
Destination  to  be  trained-up  to  endure  severe  Pains  ^b!«  by 
and  heavy  Burdens  through  the  bearing  of  light  £^nglig 
ones.  When  therefore  Parents  and  those  in  charge  Therefore, 
are  convinced  that  the  Child,  which  seems  uneasy 
and  even  cries,  has  really  got  all  that  It  needs ;  and 
that  whatever  could  hurt  It  has  been  removed ;  then  must  some- 
they  not  only  may,  but  ought  to,  leave  the  Child  to  to"them- e 
Itself  and  give  It  Time  to  recover.  For  if  the  little 
creature  has  but  once,  not  to  say  often,  by  dint  of 


14          THE  STUDENT'S  FROEBEL. 

They  must  it  patient   Crying  extracted   from  those  who  have 

peT,eby°cry-  charge  of  It,  Help  and  Sympathy  not  really  needed, 

needed"  they  have  lost  thereby  much  Ground  not  easy  to  re- 

ei*e  they"  cover.    The  little  Creature  has  so  fine  a  Perception  of 

have  learned  -i    T         i  •  <»      i 

"  to  get  thdr  the  Weakness  of  those  around  It,  that  if  they  give 

own  way." 

the  Opportunity,  It  prefers  using  Its  Power  in  the 
easier  Way  of  governing  them,  than  in  doing  or 
bearing  anything,  for  Itself. 

in  first  stage  §  24.  At  this  stage  the  human  being  is  called 

called  '  Suckling  and  in  every  sense  deserves  the  name  : 

its  sole"11  for,  Man,  at  this  stage,  does  nothing  but  assimi- 

toVmbibe!  late  the  variety  of  what  is  outside  him.     Hence 

this   first  stage  of   human   development  is  so 
inexpressibly  momentous  for  the  Child's  present 
and  future  life. 
Hence  the     Momentous  is  it  for  present  and  future  Life,  that  at 


mcrf    this  Stage  nothing  unwholesome,  or  mean  ;  nothing 
orbent        doubtful,  or  bad,  be  absorbed.     The  Look,  the  Coun- 
tenance, of  all  about  the  Child  should  be  clear  and 
Every  ob-      steady,    wakening    aud    nourishing    Trust.     Every 
i^sho'uidb*   Environment  ought  to  be  clean  and  bright:  pure 
^pe^:pieste>    Air,  clear  Light,   open  Space  —  however   scant  the 
be0taken-fn^  Furniture.      For    alas!    what   has    been    imbibed 
.scarcely        in  Childhood,  the  Impressions  of  Youth,  are  often 
throw!  o'ut.    hardly  to  be  overcome  throughout  Life  ;  because  in 
earliest  years  the  whole  Being  is  surrendered   [laid 
open  like  a   sensitive  plate]   to   Impressions  from 
without.     The  severest  Conflicts  with  Self,  in  later 
Years  ;  the  most  painful  [moral]  Experiences  ;  have 
often  had  their  first  Causes  in  this  Stage  ;  hence  is 
the  care  of  the  Nursling  so  all-important  ..... 
The  child's  §  25.  Mothers  know  that  the  first  smile  makes  an 

*  Epoch  in  the  Child's  development  j  for  it  comes 


INTRODUCTION.  15 

not  from  a  self-feeling  only,  but  from  a  social  Mothers,  as 
feeling,  also  ;  at  first  between  Mother  and  Child  ;  M  epoch" 
then   with   father   and   family  ;    later   between 
brothers  and  sisters,  other  human  beings,  and 
the  Child. 

This  Feeling  of  Community,  which  unites  the  Child  The  first 
at  first  with  Mother,  Father  and  Family,  is  the  Germ  is  the  seed 

.of  Religion. 

of  all  genuine  Religiousness,  of  all  genuine 
Endeavor  after  Union  with  the  Eternal,  with 
God. 

§  26.  Genuine  Religion,  true  and  living  ;  Piety  Ttue  and 
such  as  will  endure  through  Danger  and  Conflict,  in  A£W  in 
Needs  and  Straits,  in  Joy  and  Happiness  ;  must  come  Childhood. 


to  the  Human-being  when  It  is  a  Nursling,  or  not  at 
all  .....  When,  therefore,  a  Mother  is  seen  to  lay 
her  sleeping  Babe  on  its  comfortable  Bed,  with  a 
devout  upward  Look  to  their  heavenly  Father  for 
His  protection  and  loving  Care,  the  Beholder  is 
touched;  and  the  Act  is  full  of  Blessing  for  the  bu 
Child.  Thus,  too,  when  she  takes  it  up  from  Rest, 


smiling  and  happy,  her  Lips  moving  in  Prayer,  as 
though  It  were  given  her  anew  ..... 

§  27.  If  Parents  desire  to  provide  for  their  Chil-  Parents, 

dcsinng  to 

dren  this  unshaken  Prop,  this  never-  vanishing  Centre,  secure  for 
as  the   highest   Portion   for   Life,  then  they  must  children  this 

.          prop,  this 

always  be  visiblv.  as  well  as  inwardlv  united  with  centre,  must 

"  m  -.  m  f  not  be  afraid 

their  Children,  when  —  in  quiet  Chamber,  or  in  the  of  joining 

^  visibly  with 

open  Air  —  they  feel  and  acknowledge  themselves  to  A*m  in 
be  in  union  with  their  God  and  Father,  in  Prayer,  say  not- 
Let  no  one  ever  say,  "  The  children  will  not  under-  cannotdrc' 
stand  it";  this  were  to  rob  them  utterly  of    their  San"-- 
higher  Life.     They  do  understand  it,  and  will  under-  what  mind!? 
stand  it,  if  only  they  have  not  already  run  wild  ;  if 


16          THE  STUDENT'S  FROEBEL. 

only  they  are  not  already  too  much  estranged  from 
themselves  and  from  their  Parents.  They  understand 
it,  not  by  their  Intellect,  but  in  their  inmost 
Souls 

piety,  33  Thus  germinating  and  thus  fostered,  Religion  will 

and  tended,    be  victorious  over  all  Storms  and  Dangers  of  Life. 

come  the  This  is  the  Fruit  of  earliest  Example  left  by  religious 
Parents,  even  when  the  Child  seems  not  to  have 
heeded  or  understood.  The  result  of  all  living 
example  of  Parents  is  equally  certain :  [bad,  alas  \ 
as  well  as  good]. 

Develop-  §  28.  Not  alone  for  the  special   Growth  of  the 

ment  should 

be  looked      religious  Feeling  in  Man.  but  for  his  whole  Growth, 

on  as  con-  &      .  '       .  ' 

tinuous.  most  important  is  it  that  his  Development  steadily 
advance  from  one  Point,  and  be  always  viewed  and 
tended  as  continuously  advancing. 

Life  being  really  of  one  piece,   without  sharp 

divisions — for  the  years,  like  the  seasons,  melt 

one  into  another — it  is,  F.    says,    harmful    to 

treat  the  stages  of  human  life :  nursling — child — 

boy,  girl — youth,  maiden — old  man,  matron — 

Successive  as   though   they  were    really  separated.      Yet 

should  not*  in  common  life  and   parlance,  they  are   thus 

reeaiiywe  treated.      Successive    stages    emphasize    their 

differences  so  much  that  the  humanity  which 

makes  them  all  one  seems  forgotten. 

TOO  often  so  The  Boy  forgets  that  he  was  once  a  Child ;  that  the 

MM  forgets   Child  will  one  day  be  a  Boy  :  the  Adult  has  forgotten 

youth  has  no  his  own  earlier  stages  of  Development,  and  speaks  of 

eing  a         Child,  Boy,  Youth,  as  beings  of  separate  Nature  and 

Gifts  from  himself.     Now  this  making  of  Divisions 

and  Contrasts,  as  it  springs  from  Want  of  early  and 

steady  Attention  to  the  Unfolding  of  one's  own  Life, 


INTRODUCTION.  17 

is  false  and  artificial,  and  cannot  but  be  hurtful,  in 
many  Ways  which  need  not  be  specified. 

§  29.  It  would  be  altogether  otherwise  if  Parents  NO  stage  of 
did  but  consider  their  Child  in  Relation  to  all  Its  growth  to  be 
stages   of   Development,    without   overlooking   any. 
If,  especially,  they  would  consider  that  the  vigorous  Complete 

unfolding, 

and  complete  Unfolding  and  Improvement  of  each  at  each 

stage, 

succeeding  Stage  of  Life  depends  on  the  vigorous,  depends  on 

the  full 

complete,  and  original  Development  of  every  pre-  development 

of  that  one 

ceding  Stage.     This  Point  is  too  often  overlooked  or  which 

precedes. 

unheeded  by  Parents.      They  assume  the  Human-  Boy 
being  to  be  a  Boy  if  he  has  attained  Boy-age ;  they  youngeman 
assume  the  Human-being  to  be  a  Youth  and  Man  duly  through 
because  he  has  reached  Man's  Years.    [But  the  truth  Boy-hood. 
is  not  so !]     The  Boy  is  not  a  Boy,  or  the  Youth  a 
Youth,  simply  because  he  has  attained  the  Age  of 
Boy   and  Youth ;   but   by  Virtue   of  having   lived 
through,    first,    Child-    then   Boy-hood,    faithful   to  A  man  is 

.  truly  grown- 

the  Claims  of  his  Soul,  and  Mind,  and  Body.     Just  ,UP  when  he 

has  fulfilled 

so,  Man  becomes  a  man  not  simply  by  reaching  the  ^  <^ies  of 
average  Years   of  Manhood,   but  by   fulfilling  the  <^c™  for 
Duties  of  all  preceding  Stages  of  Life— Childhood,  Jj|j1§jjind> 
Boyhood,    Youth.       Parents,    otherwise    able    and 
intelligent,  will  require  a  Child  to  show  Itself  already 
a  Boy  or  Youth  ;  especially  ask  the  Boy  to  show 
himself  a  Man  ;  thus  skipping  the  Stages  of  Boy  and  in  child  and 

Boy  it  is 

Youth.     It  is  one  thing  to  see  and  heed  in  the  Child  right  to  see 

7°       .  the  Youth 

or  Boy — in  Germ,  or  Outline — the  Youth  and  Man.  a"d  Man 

.  that  will  be  : 

that  will  one  day  be.     It  is  quite  another,  to  look  wrong  to 

J  ask  Boy  or 

upon  and  behave  to  the  actual  Boy  as  though  he  Youth  to 

•*•  •  conduct  him- 

were  already  a  Man;  to  expect  Child  and  Boy  to  2readlhm^h 
show  himself  Youth  and  Man ;   to  feel  and  think, 
act  and  behave,  as  though  he  really  were  so.    Parents 

B 


18  THE  STUDENT'S  FEOEBEL. 

who   expect  this    overlook   or   have   forgotten   the 

Processes  through  which  alone  they  themselves  are 

become  able  Parents  and  useful  Human-beings  ;  for 

this  was  by  living  through  the  very  Stages  of  Life 

which  they  now  wish  their  Child  to  skip. 

Neglect  of         §  30.  This  neglect  of  the  early,  especially  of  the 

earliest—       very  earliest,  Stages  of  Development,  in  reference  to 

prepares        the  later,  puts  almost  insuperable  Obstacles  in  the 

great  diffi-  '    r  r 

cuities         .Way  of  the  Boy's  future  Teacher  and  Educator.     A 

for  the  *  J 

Educator.  j}ov  so  treated  thinks,  in  the  first  Place,  that  he  may 
omit  entirely  Instruction  belonging  to  an  earlier 
Age. 

TO  set  a  Again,  the  Effect  is  most  injurious,  most  weakening, 

before  the      when  a  distant  [quasi  final!  Aim  is  set  before  the 

child,  is  L-1  J 

most  hurtful.  ]jOy  too  soon ;  something  external  to  be  copied,  or 
to  be  tried  for ;  e.g.,  Preparation  for  a  certain  Office 
The  human  or  Sphere  of  Action  [beyond  the  child's  present 
every'iife-  horizon,  however  desirable  in  the  possible  future], 
have  but  one  For  Child,  Boy,  Human-beings  of  every  Age,-  ought 
and  do,  what  to  have  one  sole  Aim  :  to  be  at  each  Stage  what  this 

befits  that  .  .  • '  . 

stage.  Stage  requires.      Then  each  succeeding  Stage  will 

grow  like  a  fresh  Shoot,  out  of  a  healthy  Bud ;  and 
the  Individual  will,  with  like  Effort  on  each  succeed- 
ing Stage,  be  just  what  that  Stage  demands :  for  the 
adequate  Development  of  the  Human-being,  on  each 
Life-stage  as  it  comes,  is  effected  by  an  adequate 
Development  of  the  Human-being  on  each  preceding. 
Stage,  and  in  no  other  Way. 

Theac-  §  31.  Be  this  especially  noted  with  Reference  to 

Sen/eand  unfolding  and  improving  natural  Activity  in  the 
natural  to  Production  of  outward  Results ;  that  is,  to  foster 
beaunfoioed  Industry,  Love  of  bodily  Work.  People  in  general 
industry"  have  false  Notions  about  manual  Toil  and  Industry ; 


INTRODUCTION.  19 

about  all  Activity  for  material  Results,  as  though  Mean,  fai* 

•  ,  .  j      i  •  j        a        •  i       notions  aboi  I 

it  were   oppressive   and    lowering  —  deadening,    vul-  work; 
garising  —  instead   of  what   it   is:    life-waking   and  used,  wakes 


life-feeding:    and   it  is  more  than   that;   it  bears 
within  it  a  Power  to  give  Life  ..... 

S  32.  "  God  created  Man  in  His  own  Image,  in  the  (F-'s  great 

.  motto  : 

Image  of  God  created  He  him  :  "  therefore  Man  ought  "Leam  by 

.  doing.") 

to  create  and  work  like  God.     His  Spirit,  the  Spirit  Man, 

of  Man,  should  hover  over  the  shapeless  Chaos,  and  God's  like- 

move  it  ;  so  that  Form,  and  what  bears  Life  in  itself,  ancT'c^ates 
may  come  forth.      This  is  the  high  Meaning,  the 


deep  Significance,  the  great  Aim,  of  all  Toil  and  ofMan 


The  Spirit 
of  Man 
should  move 

Industry ;  of  all  Doing  and  Creating,  as  we  are  quite  chYos^d 
justified  in  calling  it.  By  means  of  Toil  and  Industry,  f^l!1 
we  become  like  unto  God,  if  our  Working1  is  accom-  Man's  work 

is  like  God's 

panied  by  a  clear  Thought — even  by  the   faintest  whena 

.  thought — 

Idea — that  by  our  Doing  we  present  outwardly  what  a  feeiing- 
is  internal,  and  clothe  with  Body  what  is  spiritual :  'hat  our 

doing  puts 

that  we  thereby  put  invisible  Thought  into  visible  into  visible 

,*     *  .        form  what  is 

Forms,  and  give  to  what  is  eternal  and  dwells  in  internal: 

gives  finite 

the   Spirit,  an   outward,  finite,  and  "transitory  Ex-  j^?10 
istence.     We  thus  become  truly  like  unto  God,  and  spiritual 

*  and  infinite. 

rise  ever  more  toward  the  Knowledge  of  Him  ;  thus 
God   comes   inwardly  and   outwardly  nearer  to  us. 
Eternally  true  is  the  Word  of  Jesus :  "  The  poor  [the  The  toilers 
toiling  multitudes]  have  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven,"  if  Kingdom  of 
thfey  only  knew  it,  and  by  Industry  in  Work  realised  they  but' 
it.     Children,  too,  possess  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven ;  children 
for  they  yield  themselves  up  willingly  and  trustfully  Kingdom. 
to  the  active  formative  Impulse  within  them,  when  foUoWththeir 
not  hindered  by  the  Conceit   and  false  Wisdom  of  im'^utse^ 

,1      .         <  i  when  not 

their  elders.  hindered  by 

§  33.  The  notion  that  Man  toils  and  works  solely 


20  THE  STUDENT'S  FROEBEL. 

The  notion    to   support  his   Body — his   Husk — to    earn   Bread, 

that  the  sole,    -_-_  .    „,.      .  .  _ 

or  chief        House,  and  Clothes — is  an  JLrror,  is  lowering ;  to  be 

purpose  of  •   i  i 

Work,  is  to    put  up  with,  perhaps  ;  on  no  account  to  be  spread  : 

support  the  .     .  .    . 

body,  is        for  it  is  not  true.    Originally  and  properly,  Man  works 
to  realize  outside  him  the  Spiritual,  the  Divine,  which 
dwells  within  him;  that  he  may  thus  learn  to  know 
his  own  spiritual  Nature,  and  the  Nature  of  God. 
The  Bread,  Dwelling,  Clothes,  which  come  to  him 
us :  food,       thereby,  are  to  boot !  .  .  .  .  Therefore,  Jesus  says : 
sh°eitergare-  "  Seek  ye  first  the  Kingdom  of  God ;  "  that  is,  aim 
first  at  representing  in  your  Life  and  by  your  Life 
what  is  Divine,  and  "all  the  rest,"  whatever  your 
earthly  Life  needs  beside,  "  will  be  added  unto  you." 
Thus,  also,  Jesus  says :  "  My  Meat  is  to  do  the  will 
of  God :  to  act,  to  work,  as  God  hath  laid  it  on  me." 
Therefore  the  Lilies  of  the  Field,  which,  in  Man's 
View,  toil  not,  are  arrayed  by  God  more  splendidly 
The  Lilies     than  Solomon  in  all  his  Glory.     Does  not  the  Lily 
not-SIe1       send  forth  Leaves  and  Flowers  ?     Does  she  not  in 
plough  ifot—  her  Beauty  make  known  the  Nature  of  God  ?     The 
duce  beauty   Fowls  of  Heaven,   that   in   Man's   View   sow   not, 

and  joy. 

c  labour  not,  are  they  not  exhibiting  in  all  that  they 
do — when  they  sing,  when  they  build  their  Nests — 
Man  learns  in  all  their  manifold  Actions — the  Spirit,  the  Life, 
realize  the  which  God  placed  in  them  ?  To  this  end  God  feeds 
and  Nature,  and  sustains  them.  Thus  Man,  from  the  Lilies  of 
Place,  cir-  the  Field,  from  the  Fowls  of  Heaven,  should  learn 

cumstances,  .  . 

shall  permit,  to  set  forth  in  Deed  ar  d  Work,  in  Form  and  Matter, 
as  he  can,  the  Nature  given  him  by  God :  in  what 
Manner  he  shall  do  so — whether  small  and  in- 
significant, or  great  and  mighty — this,  Place  and 

Time,  Rank  or  Calling,  will  decide 

§  34.  Now,    all   spiritual   Workings,    when   they 


INTRODUCTION.  21 

turn  into  finite  Phenomena,  demand  Succession  in 
Time.     If,    therefore,   a  Person   at   any   Period   of 
Life,   early   or   late,    has   neglected   to    exercise    a 
Power  within   him,   it  is   inevitable  that   at   some  if  at  any 
time  or  other  he  will  experience  a  Want  through  power  has 
not   having   unfolded   that  Power :    something:  will  neglected, 

,°  &  a  defect  will 

not  be    his,   which    would  have   been  his,    had   he  exist- 
used  all  his  Powers.      For,  by  the  universal  Laws  Such  defect 
under  which  we  are  living,  that  neglected  Activity  Siu'^st'foi 
would   have   had   some   Result,   had    it    not    been  the'^heeTto 
neglected.  .  .  .  When  a  Want  or  Failure  appears,  activity,' 
there  is  naught  for  it  but  to  use  Resignation  ;  .         .  failures 

&  .  will  follow. 

and  zealously  to  aim  by  Activity  for  the  future,  to 
avoid  such  Failure.  There  is  then  a  twofold  Ne- 
cessity— inward  as  well  as  outward,  whereof  the 
former  includes  the  latter — that  the  growing 
Human-being  be  early  developed  to  Activity  in 
bodily  Work  for  useful  Production.- .... 

§  35.  The  Nursling's  unconscious  Activity  of 
Senses  and  Limbs  is  the  first  Germ ;  Its  earliest 
conscious  bodily  Action  is  the  Bud  ;  the  first  im- 
pulse [in  the  child],  to  improve  his  Play,  to  build, 
and  shape,  is  the  tender  young  Blossom ;  and  now 
[boyhood]  is  the  Period  when  Man  must  be  fer-  Every  child, 
tilised  for  future  Industry,  and  Activity  in  Work,  ofevery 

i  M  i  11  T»  17-1          PI  rank(N.B.of 

Every  child,  and  later  every  Boy  or  Youth,  ol  what  either  sex.— 

'       ,.    .  in  TT  ED.)  should 

Rank  or  Condition  soever,  should  spend   an   Hour  spend  a  daily 

hour  in  use- 

or  two  daily  in   productive  Work.      Children,  and  fuiwork. 
Adults  also,  are  far  too  much  occupied  to-day  with  Much  of 

.  «  -i  3      i  i  T  i  •  -i      what  is  done 

what  is  unformed  and  shapeless,  and  too  little  with  in  schools  is, 
simple  bodily  Work :    yet  to  learn  from  Life,  and  so  unmean-' 
by   Work,    is    far    easier,    more   thorough    and    in 
every  sense,  more  improving.    Children  and  Parents,  ^S^m," 


22 

by  work  that  indeed,  so  undervalue  the  use  of  bodily  Work  in 
meaning  of,  itself,  and  for  their  Children's  future  Position,  that 
moreim-  schools  will  have  to  make  it  their  serious  Task  to 

proving  I 

set   this  right.     The  existing   Home-    and    School- 
Training  leads  Children  to  Indolence  of  Body,  and 
Schools  win    Laziness  at  Work:  so  this  phase  of  human  Power 

have  to  ., 

introduce       remains   undeveloped,    is  wasted,    to    an    immense 

Amount.     In  Schools  it  would  be  most  beneficial  to 

beside  their    introduce  regular  Work-hours,  beside  the  lessons  of 

abstract  ° 

instruction,  abstract  Instruction ;  and  this  will  have  to  be 
aprophecyT  done.  Hitherto,  through  its  being  directed  solely 
A"D.  isgz—  to  outward  and  selfish  Ends,  the  true  Understanding 
ingf  &c°"inr"  and  Value  of  Man's  bodily  Force  has  been  lost. 

schools.) —  e    na 

ED.  §  oo.    All-momentous  as   is    early   training   to 

e^ven^iine    Religion,  not    less    important    is    early    training 

ious  training  in    Industry,  in    genuine   Work-activity.      Early 

trkin'kigln      Labour,  conducted  according  to  its  inner  Meaning, 

useful  bodily  coj^mg  an(j  elevates  Eeligion.      Religion  without 

Industry,    without     Labour,    may    become     empty 

Dreaming,  a  Shadow  without  Substance:    just   so, 

Toil,  Industry,  without  Religion,  makes  of  Man  a 

Machine,  a  Beast  of  burden 

A  third  form  §  37.  But  human  Force  is  to  develop  and  operate, 
force'uTem-  not  only  as  resting  in  itself,  i.e.  Piety,  Religion;  or 
control?'  e  again  as  working  outward,  in  the  form  of  Labour 
where  these  an(j  Industry  :  but  likewise  as  withdrawing  into,  and 

three ''dwell  • 

imft^'Ts"1  resting  upon,  itself;  as  Self-control,  Temperance, 
Earthen°n  Frugality.  For  one  not  wholly  devoid  of  Self- 
knowledge,  this  needs  only  to  be  indicated. 
Wherever  these  three — Piety,  Industry,  and  Self- 
control,  which  in  their  Essence  are  one — work 
together  in  Concord  :  there  is  Heaven  upon  Earth  ; 
Peace,  Joy,  Health,  Grace,  and  Blessing. 


INTRODUCTION.  23 

§  38.  Thus,  Man  in  the  Child  is  to  be  considered 
as  a  Whole ;  thus,  the  Life  of  Humanity,  and  of 
Man  in  Childhood,  is  to  be  viewed  as  one ;  thus 
the  whole  future  Activity  of  Man  is  to  be  looked 

upon  as  having  in  the  Child  its  Germ 

But  unity  can  be  realized  only  by  particulars, 
and  completeness  of  realization  needs  succession 
in  time. 
Therefore  the  World  and  Life  unfold  to  the  Child,  In  sum  =  the 

Child  is 

and  are   developed   in   It,   as    Particulars   and    in  Man,  in 

germ  ;  and 

Succession.     Thus  the  Powers,  Gifts,  and  Disposi-  ail  human 

powers,  ac- 
tions of  Man,  his  Activities  of  Limb  and  of  Sense,  jivitiesof 

iimbs,  sense, 

are  to  be  developed  in  Succession,  and  just  as  they  ^^u1,'  arf 
make  their  Appearance  in  the  Child. 


I.— ZTbe  1Rurslin(j, 


The  outer          §  39.  The  new-born  Human-being,  the  Infant,  is 

meets  the      met  by  the  Outer- world ;  which 

human  being  though   itself,  really,  what  it  always  was,  yet 

as  Chaos; 

world  and  to  the  child  s  perception 

infant  are 

undistin-  comes  from  Nothingness — in  a  misty  shapeless 
Darkness,  a  confused  Chaos — so  that  Child  and 
Next  single  Outer-world  melt  one  into  the  other.  By-and-by, 
emerge  from  Objects  step  out  of  this  Mist,  and  present  themselves 
chiefly  by  before  the  Child.  This  takes  place  chiefly  by  help 

help  of 

words:  at      of  Words,  which  soon  pass  from  Mother  to  Child  ; 

first  dimly,  '  _ 

by-and-by      nrst  to  divide,  then  again  to  unite,  Child  and  Outer- 
more  defi-  '  t  ' 

niteiy.  world.     They  come  at  first  singly,  and  seldom  ;  by- 

beco'mes1  and-by  frequently,  then  with  more  definite  Mean- 

frfsln  a  ing ;    till   at   last   the  Human-being — the    Child — 

Toothers,  appears  to  itself  an  Object  distinct  from  all  others. 

Every  child  Thus  in  each  Child,  in  the  History  of  Its  spiritual 

repeats  the 

story  of  the    Unfolding  and  Growth  to  human  Consciousness,  of 

Creation,  till 

In  fheds  Itsdf  -^S  Experiences  from  Birth,  we   see   repeated  the 

Godden°f      History  of  the   Creation   and   Development   of   all 

Things,  as  told   in   the   Sacred  Books  ;   up  to  that 

Point,  when  Man  finds  himself  in  the  Garden  of  God, 

in  beautiful  Nature  extended  before  the  Child 

Man's  func-        §  40.  "  To  make  what  is  Internal,  external ;  what 
bring-o'uuhe  is  External,  internal ;  and  to  find  a  unity  of  both  :  " 


THE  NURSLING.  25 

• — this   was   onr   general   Formula   to    express    the  internal,  and 
Function  of  Man.     Therefore  every  external  Object  External: 

ITT  t      •  •   i  T\  ^  t         every  object 

meets   the    Human-being   with   a   Demand    to    be  invites  Man 

...  to  know  it. 

known   and   recognized,   in   its    Nature   and    Con-  By  the 

&   .  Senses,  this 

nexion  :  and  for  this  End  Man  possesses  the  Senses.  cla}m  is 

r  '    satisfied. 

or  Organs,  by  which  this  Demand  can  be  fulfilled. 
Each    Thing    is  known    by  connecting   it   with  its  A  thing 

becomes 

opposite  in  the   same   Kind,   and   by  finding  the  known  when 

.       joined  to  its 

Union    or    Agreement    between    them :    and    this  opposite, 

and  what 

Knowledge  comes  to  pass  more  perfectly,  the  more  mediates 
complete  is  the  Contact  with  its  opposite,  and  the  ^™^is 
Discovery  of  the  mediating  Term. 

The  succeeding  section  is  given  as  a  specimen 
of  F.'s  biology  :  leaving  untouched  the  question 
whether  its  Science  is  quite  up  to  date. 
§  41.  The  Objects  of  the  external  World  meet  the  Senses-for 

..  i  •  -i  n     •  i  -n  *ke  con" 

Human-being  in  a  solid,  a  fluid,  or  a  gaseous  Form  :  ditions  of 
accordingly,  Man  finds  himself  provided  with  Senses  for  objects  at 

0  •  '  Rest,  or  in 

for  the  solid,  the  liquid,  the  aeriform,  State.  Motion. 

Again,  every  Object  comes  before  Man  either  in  a 
Condition  of  Rest,  or  of  Motion.  Accordingly,  each 
of  these  Senses  is  again  distributed  to  separate 
Organs,  one  Set  of  which  deals  with  Objects  at  Rest ; 
another,  with  Objects  in  Motion.  Thus  the  Sense  Sense- 

i  ....  -~.  organs  also 

for  what  is  aeriform  is  assigned  to  the  Organs  of  distributed 

1  .  °  accordingly. 

Hearing  and  Sight ;  the  Sense  for  the  liquid,  to  the 
Organs  of  Taste  and  Smell ;  the  Sense  for  the  solid, 

to  the  Organs  of  Touch  and  Feeling 

§  42.  Step  by  Step,  with  Unfolding  of  Senses,  is  Limbs  un- 
developed  the  Use  of  Body  and  Limbs ;  and  this  abreast  U0sf 
again  in  an  Order  fixed  by  the  Nature  of  the  Body  objects  are 

r\       •>•    •  e  i   <~vi   •  at  rest  or  in 

and  the  (Dualities  or  external  Objects.  motion;  are 

The  Objects  of  the  Outer-world  are :  (1)  near  and  distant. 


26          THE  STUDENT'S  FROEBEL. 

resting,  and  thus  invite  us  to  Rest  ;    or    (2)  they 
Thus  use       are  in  Motion,  increasing  their  Distance,  and  thus 

of  Limbs  is  .  ° 

developed—    invite  us  to  seize  and  hold  them  fast  :  or  (3)  they 

for  resting,  .  _  \    /  J 

moving,        are  fixed  at  distant  Places,  and  invite  us  to  move 

grasping. 

toward  them,  or  bring  them  nearer  to  us. 

standing  is         Thus  is  unfolded  the  use  of  the  Limbs  for  sitting 
or  reclining,  for  grasping  and  seizing,  for  walking 


and  running.  Standing  is  the  most  perfect  Sum  of 
the  uses  of  Body  and  Limbs  :  it  is  the  finding  of  the 
body's  centre  of  Gravity  ..... 

The  infant         §  43.  At  this  Stage  of  Development  the  growing 
for  use  of       Man  is  still   concerned  wholly  with   the   Use,  the 

Limbs,  .  J 

exercise  of     Employment,   the   Exercise   of    his   Body,    Senses, 

Senses  :  not  r     J  .  J  ' 

at  all  for        Limbs  i    not   at    all  with   what   results   from,  or  is 

results.  _  ' 

produced  by,  this  Use.     Of  Effects,  It  is  perfectly 

careless;    or,    more    precisely,    It    has   no   Notion. 

Hence,  its     Hence   the    Child's  playing  with    Its    limbs,  that 

i/mb^'and    begins  at  this  stage  ;  with  its  Hands,  Lips,  Tongue, 

ThisUpirying  -^eet  :  —  but  with  Eyes  too,  and  Gestures.     At  first, 

Bodyhas,  at  tihiB   Play    °^   Limbs   and    Features    has    no    inner 

me'anlngf  er  Meaning  ;  for,  Exhibition  of  the  Internal  in  and  by 

no't'bTolL    the  External,  belongs  to  a  later  Stage.     But  this 

Play,  as  being  the  Child's  first  Utterance,  needs  to 

Such  move-    be   looked  to;   lest  the   Child   accustom   Itself  to 

become         meaningless  Movements  of  Limb,  and  especially  of 

even  in-'       Pace,  as  Twistings  of  the  Eyes  and  Mouth.    Without 

due    Care,    a    Division    may    thus    arise    between 

Gestures   and  Feelings,   between   Body   and    Soul, 

between    the    Outer   and   the   Inner;    from   which 

Division,  one  Day,  conscious  Acting  may  grow,  or 

the  Body  contract  Movements,  Habits,  which  become 

involuntary,  and  may  go  with  us  through  Life  like 

a  Mask. 


THE  NURSLING.  27 

§  44.  From     early     days,    therefore,    Children  infants 

should  not  be 

ought   not   to  'be    left   to  themselves  in  Bed  or  left  long  to 

themselves 

Cradle,  without  some  external  Object  to  occupy  when  awake. 
them.     This   is   to   avoid  weakening  of  the  Body,  l^d°\T^°- 
which  is  sure  to  produce  Weakening  of  the  Mind.  L^T^bed, 
To  guard,  also,  against  bodily  Delicacy  the  Child's  Ughu 
Couch  should  from  the  first,  not  be  too  soft.     It 
should  be  made  of  Hay,  fine  Straw,  Chaff ;  at  most 
of  Horsehair — not  of  Feathers  ;  the  Child's  Covering 
too,  during  Sleep,  should  be  light,  and  admit  fresh 
Air. 

At  first,  F.  suggested  that  a  caged  bird  be  hung 
up  in  sight  of  the  waking  child ;  afterwards  he 
substituted  a  coloured  ball  swinging  freely,  as 
equally  efficacious  in  drawing  the  child's  atten- 
tion from  itself. 


IL-Cbe  Cbilfc. 

infancy  is          §  45.  When  Activity  of  Senses,  Body  and  Limbs 

ended,  when    .  *  J 

the  child,  of  is  so  far  developed  that  the  Child  begins,  of  Its  own 

its  own  ' 

accord,^         Accord,  to  represent  outwardly  what  is  within  It,  the 
whatir'       Stage  of  Infancy  in  human  Development  is  ended, 
within.          an(j  the  Period  of  Childhood  commences.    Up  to  this 
ofXMran>Ss°n     Stage,   the    inner    Being   of   Man    is  uniform  and 
commences    undifferentiated.      With     Language,     begins     Ex- 
pression and  Representation  of  the  inner  Being  of 
Man :   it  [the  inner  being  of   Man]    begins   to  be 
specialized  as  to  Means  and  Ends ;  it  breaks  up  into 
Parts;  tries   to   make   itself  known,  to  announce 
itself.      The  Human-being  endeavours,  voluntarily, 
to  express  and  to  shape  Its  inner  Nature,  in  and  by 

means  of  Matter,  the  Concrete 

with  Child-        With  the  Stage  of  Childhood  ....  Man's  Education 

tionbeVnsT  proper,  begins :   Care  for  the  Body  being  lessened, 

ing  wholly"    Care  of  the  Mind  increases.     But  the  Education  of 

famify.6"        Man,  at  this  stage  is  still  wholly  committed  to  the 

Mother,   the  Father,   the  Family;    to   those  with 

whom,  by  Nature,  the  child  still  forms  an  undivided 

Whole 

in  stages  of  §  46.  Among  the  Stages  of  human  Development 
mTnVnone  there  is  no  Gradation  of  Rank,  as  though  one  were 
w  below  of  greater  Value  than  another.  All  are,  each  at  its 


THE  CHILD.  29 

own   Time   and   Place,  equally  important;   except,  another - 

indeed,  for  the  necessary  Order  of  Time,  whereby  Childhood 

the  earlier  ones  must  be  more  momentous  [simply  connnect°the 

because  they  have  more  results}.     The  present  stage  fh^b™*- 

[Childhood]  is  of  first  rate  Importance ;  because  in  world- 

it,  that  which  connects  the  Child  with  Its  Environ-  The  question 

ment:     that   which    first    tries    to    apprehend    and  memous, 

^  •  i         mi   •  whether  It 

interpret  this  Outer-world,  is  developed.     This  stage  shall  find  the 

T,          ,  -  ,     .  environment 

is  of  greatest  Consequence,  because,  for  the  unfolding  nobieor 

.  base,  bright 

Human-being,  it  is  most  momentous  whether  the  or  gloomy. 
Outer-world  appear  to  It  noble,  or  base ;  low,  dead, 
only  to  be  made  use  of,  consumed,  enjoyed  by  others; 
or  as  having  an  End  in  itself,  high  and  vital; 
spiritual,  divine.  It  is  of  the  greatest  consequence 
whether  the  Outer-world  appear  to  It  Itright,  or 
gloomy ;  ennobling  and  elevating,  or  humbling  and 
depressing;  whether  It  sees  the  world  in  its  true 
Relations,  or  in  false  and  distorted  Proportions. 

§  47.  Therefore,  at  this  Stage  the  Child  is  first,  The  cwid 
to  behold  everything  aright ;   and  next  to  name  it  every  thing 

i        -i       y-v-i   •  ••  aright:  next 

aright,  distinctly  and  clearly  ;  both  Objects  them-  name  it 
selves,  and  their  Nature  and  Qualities.     It  should  object  and 
name  the  Relations  of  Objects,  as  to  Space  and  Time  with  right 

J  words, 

and  to  one  another,  correctly ;  each  one  by  its  right  uttered  fully. 
Word,  and  each  Word  ....  clearly  in  all  its  parts  ; 

Tone,  Accent,  Ending 

At  this  Stage,  Speech  is  still  one  with  the  Human-  At  play,  the 

i  T  /-^i  -i-ii  •  Child  talks, 

being  that  speaks  ;  and  the   Child  when  speaking,  and  makes 

every  thing 

does  not  separate  Word  and  Thing,  any  more  than  talk,  beiiev- 

Flesh  and  Spirit,  Body  and  Soul.     This  is  specially  every  object 
r  J  t-         j  feeis  ^  CAn 

shown  in  Children's  Play.     When  at  play,  the  Child  u"er  its  feel- 
likes  to  talk  as  much  as  It  can.     At  this  stage,  Play  whether, 

*     stone,  plant, 

and  Speech  are  the  Elements  in  which  the  Child  or  animaL 


30          THE  STUDENT'S  FROEBEL. 

lives.  It  believes  that  everything  is  able  to  feel,  speak, 
and  hear.  Just  because  the  Child  is  beginning  to 
express  outwardly  Its  own  inner  Self,  It  assumes  a 
like  Power  of  Expression  in  every  Thing  around  It ; 
Stones,  Pieces  of  Wood,  Plants,  Flowers,  Animals. 
Thus,  at  this  Stage  (1)  the  Child's  own  life  is 
developed ;  (2)  Its  life  with  Parents,  Brothers,  and 
Sisters*  (3)  the  Life  common  to  It  and  them,  with  an 
Invisible  Being  higher  than  Itself ;  and,  especially,  is 
developed,  (4)  Its  Life  in  and  with  Nature,  felt  to 
The  child  possess  a  Life  similar  to  Its  own.  Now,  as  a  chief 

should  have      *  _,  • 

as  much        Purpose  of  all  Child-life,  Parents  and  Family  should 

association,  I/-NIIT  i  •  -i 

as  possible,     give  the  Child  as  much  Acquaintance  as  possible  with 

with  Nature.     °  .  i        r\i_  •  m     •      • 

Nature,  and  her  bright,  calm  Objects.  This  is  chiefly 
to  be  done  by  means  of  Play,  by  fostering  the  child's 
Play ;  which  at  first  is  just  Its  natural  Life. 
Play,  tiwN          £  48.  Play  is  the  highest  Point  of  human  De- 

simplest  and 

velopment  in  the  Child-stage. 

for   it   is   the   free    expression  of  the    child's 

inner  being 

Play  is  at  once  the  purest,  and  most  spiritual,  Pro- 
duct of  the  Human-being  at  this  Stage  ;  it  is  a  Type 
and  Copy  of  all  human  Life ;  of  the  inward  natural 
in  play  are     nfe  that  is  in  Man  and  in  all  Things  ;  and  it  brings 

sources  of  all 

good.  forth  Joy,  Freedom,  Contentment,  Rest  within  and 

plays  without,  Peace  with  the  World.     The  Sources  of  all 

win  grow  up  good  are  in  Play,  and  come  forth  from  it ;  a  Child 

earnest  and 

capable.  that  plays  with  Vigor,  quietly  active,  persevering 
At  this  age  even  to  bodily  Fatigue,  will  surely  grow  up  to  be 
m°ore8beauti.  a  quietly  capable,  persevering  Man,  who  will 
child"  fallen  further  his  own  and  other's  Good,  by  Self-sacrifice. 
itsepiay.ver  What  Sight  more  beautiful  can  we  find  in  early 
Childhood,  than  a  Child  at  Play,  a  Child  wholly 


highest  pro- 
duct of 
Childhood. 


THE  CHILD.  31 

absorbed  in  Its  Play,  a  Child  fallen  asleep  over  Its 
Play,  because  so  thoroughly  absorbed  ? 

§49.  Play,  at  this  Age,   is  not  mere  Sport;   it  Thepiayof 
possesses    high    Seriousness    and    deep    Meaning  :  is  not  merely 


foster  it,  0  Mother  !  shield  it,  protect  it,  0  Father  ! 

inner  life  is 

In  the  self-chosen  Games  of  a  little  Child,  the  inner  seen  in  Its 

play- 
Life  of  Its  future  may  be  seen  by  the  calm  pene- 

trating Sight  of  one  who  has  studied  Mankind. 
The  Games  of  Childhood  are  the  Heart-leaves  of  the 
future  Life  ;  for  in  them  the  whole  Man  unfolds  and 
shows  himself  in  his  most  delicate  Gifts,  in  his 
innjer  Being.  The  Individual's  whole  life,  until  he  Future  life 

•i  -c-i  -i-fi'-iii  's  r.ooted  in 

leaves  it,  has  its  bources  in  this  Period.     Allowing  childhood's 

.    .  °     habits  and 

for    natural    Gifts    and   Dispositions  —  on  the  Inch-   modes  ofiiv. 

ing. 

vidual'sMode  of  Life  during  Childhood,  may  depend,  The  Child's 
whether  his  future  Life    shall    be    clear  or  turbid,   tion  to 

•  HI  •    i  .        parents, 

gentle    or    rough,   active    or   idle,  nch  or  poor   in  society, 
Action;  dully  brooding  or  cheerfully  toiling  ;  passed  God  may  de- 
in  stupid  Wonder  or  intelligent  Insight;  bringing  modes  of 
Concord  or  Discord,  Peace    or    War.     The  Child's  childhood. 
future  Relation  to  Father  and  Mother,  Brothers  and 
Kinsfolk  ;  to  civil  Society  and  Mankind  ;  to  Nature 
and  God,  may  depend  on  Its  Manner  of  Life  at  this 
Age  ..... 

This  will  seem  too  absolute  an  utterance  ;  but 
with  thought,   and  with  F.'s  abundant  confir- 
mations, the  substantial  and  most  momentous 
truth  of  this  oracular  saying  will  appear. 
S  50.  In  these  Years  of  Infancy  and  Childhood,  p^  child's 

3  J  '    food  is 

Food  and  Nourishment  are  of  special  Moment  ;  not  ^0^e^t 

alone  for  the  Time,  but  also  for  the   Child's  whole  Jhljjd'h^od 

future  Life.     Through  Its  Diet  a  child  may  grow  up  ™fjedeter" 

to  be  —  in  the  business  of  Life  —  idle  or  industrious,  whether  Ir 


32         THE  STUDENT'S  FEOEBBL. 

shall  be,  dull  or  lively,    weak  or    strong :    for    Impressions, 

idTeeandr  Inclinations,    Desires — Tendencies    of   Feeling,    ay, 

bright  even  of  Conduct — which  the  Child  has  contracted  by 

inclinations  ^s  way  °^  Feeding,  are  not  easily  laid  aside  even 

takPen-Sb°ns>  wnen  *ne  Human-being  has  come  to  Years  of  Choice  ; 

may  fnflu-  they  are  become  one  with  Its  whole  bodily  Life,  and 

wfaoiaofiife.  thus  grown  into  the  Fabric  of  Its  Sensations  and 

Diet  should  Emotions,   perhaps    even    into    Its    spiritual    Life. 

be  as  plain 

as  conditions  Therefore  let  the  Child's  Pood,  after  it  is  weaned, 

permit :  not 

excessive  in  ^6  simple  and  frugal ;  as  little  artificial  and  refined 

quantity  : 

th>rtouerhpting  as  *s  Possib^e  '•  above  all,  not  tempting  or  exciting 

rkhneTs.  through  prominent  Flavor ;    not  too  rich,  so  as  to 

Parents  clog  the  inner  Organs.     Parents,  and  they  who  have 

as  aUn  unfaii-  the  care  of  Children,  should  hold  fast  as  an  universal 

the  simpler  Truth,  out  of  which  each  special  Rule  proceeds,  that 

the  food  and  i          •          i                   T                               T 

all  bodily  by   how  much    simpler    and  more  moderate,    more 

circum-  .                                        .11  TT                                                         IT-IT 

stances  in  suited  to  unspoiled  Human-nature,  are  the  .r  ood  and 

the  healthier  all  bodily  Surroundings  in  which  the  Man  as  Child 

and  happier  TIT            •               T 

will  be  the  grows  up,  by  so  much  the  happier  and  stronger,  more 
properly  creative  in  every  Direction,  will  the  Adult 
become. 

in  over-fed  §  51.  In  a  Child,  that  has  been  over-excited  by 

children  low  . 

desires  Excess  of  Food,  in  Quantity  too  much,  or  too  highly 

spring  up, 

not  easy  to  flavored,  may  be  often  seen  Desires  of  a  low  kind 

be  mastered  . 

later.  from  which   It  never  gets   free;  Desires,  which   if 

they  seem  to  subside,  are  but  slumbering,  to  return 

with    greater   Violence   when    Opportunity    offers ; 

p^ente  an(^  which  threaten  to  rob  Man  of  his  Dignity,  and 

domwti^1  tear  him  fr°m  his  Duty.     Did  Parents  but  consider, 

crewel!-"  how  much  not  only  of  future  personal  Advantage  to 

fromssuchs  their   Children,    but   of   domestic  Happiness,    even 

the^wo^'id  civic  Well-being,  would  flow  [from  this  simplicity] 

rentiy.e  how   differently   they   would   act !      But   here,   the 


THE  CHILD.  33 

Mother  is  foolish,  there  the  Father  is  weak  ;  and  we 
see  Poison  upon  Poison  given  to   Children,  in   all 
Shapes   and  Ways,   coarse   and  fine.     On  the  one  Here-a 
hand,  it  is  oppressive  Quantity ;  continually  giving  mother, 
Food,  and  leaving  the   Body  no   Time   to   digest:  we'akfatljer, 
perhaps,    feeding,   just   to   drive   away   the    Ennui  msteacfpf 
which  comes  of  Want  of  Occupation.     On  the  other,  cTogging'the 
it  is  food  of  too  luxurious  Quality,  which  arouses  starving  the 
physical  Life  without  genuine  spiritual  Conditions, 
and  thus  acts  to  weaken  and  wear  out  the  Body. 

Here,  bodily  laziness  is  looked  on  as  need  of 
rest ;  there,  restlessness,  the  result  of  physical 
over-excitement,  is  taken  for  genuine  liveliness 
of  spirits. 

§  52.  Simpler,  far  simpler  than  we  think,  is  the  Thefoun- 
Foundation  and  Progress  of  Humanity's  true  Wei-  Humanity's 
fare   and   Happiness.      We   have    all    the    Means  isfarsimpki 

-  .  than  we 

thereto,  easy   and   near  at  hand,  but  we  see  them  think. 
not ;  or  if  we  see,  we  heed  them  not ;  because,  being  simplicity 
so  simple,  so  natural,  so  easily  applied,  so  near  at  neglected, 
Hand,  they  are  too  cheap  for  us,  we  despise  them,  win  secure 

ic  satisfaction. 

and  we  seek  arar  on:  Help  that  can  come  only  from  Children 

wholly  lose 

ourselves.     Thus,  by-and-by,  the  half  or  the  whole  what  would 

_  .  (of  itself) 

of  a  considerable  Fortune  is  not  enough  to  procure  h,av.e  been 

0  theirs  had 

for  our  Children,  what,  when  our  Insight  is  become  we  spent, 

not  more, 

clearer,  we  have  to  acknowledge  is  best  for  them.  b,ut.le,ss'?n. 

their  bodies  I 

Now  they  cannot  have  at  all,  or  never  fully,  what 
would  have  come  to  them  as  it  were  of  itself,  if  we 
had — not  spent  more  upon  them !  no,  no !  what 
would  have  been  theirs  if  we  had  but  expended 
much  less  on  the  care  of  their  Bodies  !  If  every  Could 
young  Couple  could  but  know  one  sad  Instance  [in  see,  what 

,..,.,-,  .    .  -.,  .,  „  -,  Teachersare 

this  kindj,  so  as  vividly  to  see  the  small  and  seem-  constantly 

o 


34 


THE  STUDENT'S  FROEBEL. 


forced  to 
meet  with  : 
the  slight 
^auses  that 
render  train- 
ing useless. 


The  wrong 
course  is 
easy  to 
avoid  :  the 
food  in 
quality 
simplest  that 
suits  the 
Child's  sta- 
tion :  in 
quantity 
fitted  to  Its 
bodily  and 
mental  ac- 
tivity. 
"  Eat  to 
live  ;  not, 
live  to  eat." 

That  the 

Child  may 
remain  free, 
in  body  and 
mind.  Its 
clothing 
must  be 
ca'-y  and 
light 


Clothing 
never  to 
seem  an  end 
in  itself, 
else  Child 
becomes  a 
Puppet,  not 
a  man. 


A  true 
mother 
wakens 
every  power, 
and  guides 
each  limb, 
untaught. 


ingly  unimportant  Cause  of  Eesults  which  threaten 
to  frustrate  all  subsequent  Education.  A  Teacher  is 
compelled  to  make  hundreds  of  such  Experiences ; 
but  his  Knowledge  helps  him  little  to  repair  in  future 
Life  the  Consequences  [of  early  errors],  for  who 
knows  not  the  terrible  Power  of  Impressions  made  in 
Youth ! 

Yet  it  is  easy  to  avoid  the  wrong  Course  in  this 
matter ;  it  is  easy  to  find  the  right :  let  Pood  be 
always  Means  of  Nourishment,  not  more,  not 
less ;  let  Food  never  be  an  End  in  itself,  but 
solely  the  Means  to  maintain  Activity  of  Body 
and  Mind.  On  no  account  let  the  Quality  of  Food, 
its  Flavor  or  Delicacy,  be  an  Aim  in  itself,  but  only 
Means  to  the  End,  that  is,  to  give  pure,  wholesome 
Nourishment 

§  53.  In  order  that  the  Human-being — the  Child — 
may  be  unhampered  in  Body  and  Mind,  free  to  move 
about  and  play,  free  to  grow  and  develop,  Its 
Clothing  must  not  be  tight,  or  binding:  for,  such 
Clothing  will  in  turn  confine  and  fetter  the 
Mind 

Clothes  their  Shape,  Hue,  and  Fashion — must 
never  appear  an  End  in  themselves,  else  they  will 
soon  draw  the  Child  away  from  Its  true  Self:  make 
It  vain  and  outward,  a  Doll  instead  of  a  Child,  a 
Puppet  in  place  of  a  Human-being.  Clothing  is 
therefore  by  no  means  unimportant,  either  for  the 
Child  or  for  the  Adult 

§  54.  Thus,  to  waken  and  develop  in  the  Human- 
being  every  Power,  every  Disposition  [of  mind],  to 
enable  each  Limb  and  Organ  [of  body]  to  obey  these 
inner  Gifts  and  Powers,  is  the  Aim  of  Parents'  Care 


THE  CHILD.  35 

for  their  Children,  in  the  Home  and  the  Family-  she  must 
circle.       Without    any    Teaching,    Reminding,  or  "nd'cioT 
Learning,  the  true  Mother  does  all  this  of  herself. 
But  that  is  not  enough  :  in  Addition  is  needed, 
that,  being  herself  conscious,  and  acting  upon  a 
Creature  that  is  growing  conscious,  she  do   her 
Part    consciously   and   consistently,  as  in   Duty 
bound  to  guide  the  Human-being  [her  child]  in 
Its  regular  development. 

With  an  apology  for  doing  with  masculine 
clumsiness,  what  "  the  simplest  mother  "  would 
do  better,  F.  depicts  a  mother  teaching  her  babe 
to  know,  first  by  touch,  then  by  name,  all  its 
limbs  and  senses  ;  helping  It  to  perceive  their 
qualities  and  differences ;  arousing  Its  caution 
towards  things  hot,  or  sharp ;  making  every 
little  action — washing  and  dressing,  enjoying 
food — a  lesson,  first  of  things,  then  of  words. 
§  55.  While  admitting  that  Mothers  may  be  F.'S  protest 

,      ,         ,    ,  .  „        , ,  j  ,    is  against  all 

helped  by  experience  of  others  to  order   and  Education 

•n  •    i  that  takes 

place,  F.  asserts  with  much  plainness  that  to  account,  not 
quit  for  artificial,  formal  teaching,  the  natural  nature,  but 

1  of  parents' 

and  divine  beginnings   of  all   human  develop-  choice  and 

00  *       preference. ' 

ment — in  the  Mother's  arms,  at  the  Mother's 

knee — is 

to  seek  Help  of  human  Wisdom  and  human  Wit 
when  we  have  lost  God  and  Nature.  Our 
artificial,  formal  Training,  is  a  Card-house  wherein 
a  Mother's  instinctive  Ways  find  no  Place,  and 
divine  Workings  no  Room  ;  while  the  slightest  Ex- 
pression of  the  Child's  Joy  and  Eagerness  over- 
turns it ;  for  if  it  is  to  stand  at  all  the  Child  must 
be  fettered  in  Mind  if  not  in  Body. 


36  THE  STUDENT'S  FROEBEL. 

We  are  not         Where  do  we  find  ourselves  then  ?     In  the  Nur- 
thatwecan    series  of  word-wise,  so-called  Educated  People,  who 

put  in  what 

the  child       hardly  believe  that  there  is   already   in  the  little 

needs :  all  .      J  J 

it  can  ever     Child  something,  which  must  be  early  drawn  out  if 

be  is  in  It,  .  * 

and  must       the  Child  is  ever  to  thrive  :  who,  far  more,  are  quite 

simply  be 

brought  out.  unaware  that  whatever  the  Child  should  one  Day 
become,  is  already  in  it,  in  smallest  Germs  perhaps ; 
and  will  become  Its  own  in  no  other  Way  than  by 

being  unfolded 

§  56.  Let  us  return  thither,  where  the  Children's 
Boom  is  the  Mother's  Eoom  too ;  where  Mother  and 
Child  are  still  one  ;  where  the  Mother  does  not  like 
to  give  up  her  Child  to  a  Stranger;  and  see  how 
a  Mother  shows  It  Objects  with  their  Motions. 
"  Hark  !  the  Bird  whistles.  The  Dog  says,  '  bow- 
wow.'" 

It  belongs,  however,  more  to  the  proposed 
second  part  of  this  little  work,  to  give  examples 
of  the  method  whereby  a  true  mother  leads  her 
child  from  sounds  to  names ;  gives  ideas  of 
motion — place — time,  which  are  really  germs 
of  abstract  thinking;  and,  what  is  still  more 
important,  wakens  feelings  of  kindness  for  things 
that  feel,  and  fosters  love  for  the  child's  nearest 
and  dearest :  and  all,  by  means  of  artless  lessons, 
on  objects  that  are  always  present  in  a  healthy 
child's  life. 

§  57.  Besides  the  social  Feeling,  out  of  which  so 

much  that  is  precious  develops,  Mother's  Love,  the 

all-comprehending  Mother-heart   seeks  to  bring  to 

A  mother's     the  Child's  own  Consciousness,  the  Life  that  is  in 

her  child,       It.     This  she  effects — and  the  Manner  is  of  great 

with  rhyth-  »*•%«• 

mic  sounds,    Importance — by    regular    rhyt/imw  Movement,    so 


THE  CHILD. 


37 


called  "  dandling  "  the  child  on  her  Arm  and  Hand, 
accompanied  by  regular  rhythmic  Sounds.  Thus, 
a  true  Mother  gently  follows  up  the  Life  that  is 
springing  everywhere  in  her  Child,  strengthens  it, 
and  thus  wakens  and  unfolds  mere  and  more  the 
wider  Life  that  still  slumbers  within  It.  The  rest 
[formal,  artificial  child-trainers]  assume  a  Vacuum 
in  the  Child,  and  try  to  put  Life  into  It;  make  It 
as  empty  as  they  believe  It  to  be ;  and  give  It  Death. 
And  so  this  [rhythmical  movement  with  rhythmical 
sound]  comes  to  nothing ;  because  its  Importance 
being  seldom  recognized,  it  is  not  developed  in 
Agreement  with  Life  and  Nature,  and  joined  to 
further  Training.  If  used  as  means  of  Training  in 
Speech  and  Song,  it  would  simply  and  naturally 
help  to  unfold  what  is  rhythmic,  law-abiding,  in  all 
Expressions  of  Human  Life  ....  As  Teachers  we 
lose  much,  but  the  Child  as  Pupil  and  as  Human- 
being,  loses  more,  through  Disuse  of  such  rhythmical 
orderly  Movement,  from  early  Training.  [Were  it 
retained]  the  Child  would  more  easily  grasp  the 
orderly  Proportions  of  Its  life :  much  of  Caprice, 
Incoherence,  Rudeness,  would  disappear  from  Con- 
duct, Action,  and  Movement ;  more  Accord  and 
Measure  would  appear  therein,  and  by-and-by  a 
finer  Taste  would  develop  for  Nature  and  Art, 
Music  and  Poetry. 

§  58.  Sensible,  thoughtful  Mothers  have  remarked 
likewise,  that  little  Children  when  quiet,  especially 
when  going  to  sleep,  often  sing  to  themselves. 
This  should  be  attended  to  and  developed  by  those 
who  have  charge  of  Children,  as  the  first  Germ  of  a 
Sense  of  Melody  and  Power  of  Song.  Were  this 


•I 


wakens  the 
sense  of  Life 
in  It; 

falls  out  of 
use  with 
formal  edu- 
cators, not 
being  de- 
veloped in 
order : 
to  the  great 
loss  of  later 
training. 


This  rhyth- 
mic move- 
ment, 

ordered  and 
extended, 
wouldamend 
caprice  and 
rudeness, 
would  foster, 
me  isuie.and 
order  in  the 
Child's  life. 

Prophetic  ! 

^o-day, 
A.  p.  1892, 
Drill  is  uni- 
versally 
adopted — 
sometimes 
with  music — 
for  school 
children. 
The  marches 
and  games 
of  the  Child- 
garden,  and 
[yet  more) 
the  wonder- 
ful fullness 
ind  variety 
of  the 

"  Mutter-u- 
Kose- 

Lieder  "  are 
F.'s  realiza- 
tion of  his 
own  pro- 
posal.— ED.] 

Children 
often  sing  to 
themselves. 
This  first 
expression 
of  sense  for 
tune,  and 
power  of 
song,  should 


38          THE  STUDENT'S  FEOEBEL. 

be  heeded      done,  a  like  Self-activity  would  soon  show  itself  [in 
A  like  "  in-     music],  as  does  at  present,  in  Speech.    Children  whose 

stinct "  for  J  r 

melody         Speech-faculty    has    been    naturally  developed  and 
fold,  as  now    improved,  come  upon  Words  to  express  new  Notions, 

for  speech.  . 

Children       peculiar  Relations  of  hitherto  unobserved  Qualities, 
themselves     of  their  own  accord.     Thus  a  very  little  'Girl,  who 
newquaiitiers  had    had   a    simply    childlike    Training   from    her 
turns!6  a        Mother,  after  long  and  carefully  feeling  and  look- 
ing at  some  Leaves  covered  with  thick  soft  Hairs, 
cried    out    joyfully     to    her   Mother,    "Oh!    how 
woolly ! "    The  Mother    could  not  recollect    having 
ever  pointed  out  such  a  Quality  to  the  Child.     The 
same    Child,    one    starlight    Night,    saw  the    two 
brightest  Planets  very  near  to  one  another  in  the 
Sky.     "Father  and  Mother  stars!"  she  cried    out 
joyously,  in  the  quiet  Night ;  yet  her  Mother  could 
not  in  the  least  tell  how  such  an  Idea  had  been 
awakened  in  her. 
infants  §  59.  No  artificial  Means  should  be  used  to  get 

must  not  be  T     „ 

forced  in       the   Iniant   to  stand,  to  walk.     The    child  should 

standing  or 

walking.        stand  when  It  has  the  Strength,  voluntarily  and 

Allowed  to 

act,  of  their    independently,  to  hold  Itself  upright ;  and  It  should 

own  will ; 

but  watched,  walk  as  soon  as  moving  of  Its  own  accord  It  can 

So  they  will  . 

raise  them-     without  Help  keep  Its  Balance.     The  Child  is  not 

selves  up, 

stand,  walk,    to  stand,  till  It  can  sit,  sit  upright ;  raise  Itself  by 

in  due  order. 

means  of  some  tall  Object  near,  and  thus  at  last, 

unaided,  support  Itself.     It  is  not  to  walk  till  It  can 

creep,  raise  Itself  without  Help,  keep  Its  own  Balance, 

and  thus  go  forward.     At  first,  having  raised  Itself 

Feeling  its     at  some  Distance  from  Its  Mother,  It  will  try  to  walk 

strength,       back  to  her  Lap.     Soon  It  feels  Strength  in  Its  own 

each  act        Feet,  and  repeats  Its  newly-acquired  Art  of  "Walking 

e  'g  ''  for  the  Pleasure  of  it.  as  before  the  Art  of  Standing. 


THE  CHILD.  89 

Again,  a  little  while,  and  It  practises  the  Art  uncon- 
sciously. 

§  60.     Now    a    colored,    round,    bright     Pebble  Some  bright 
catches    the    Infant's    Attention ;     or    a   fluttering  shapely 
Morsel  of  tinted  Paper ;  a  smooth,  regular,  three-  or  the  Child's 
four-cornered   piece   of   Wood;    little   right-angled 
Blocks  for  building ;  a  Leaf,  remarkable  in  Shape, 
Hue,  or  Brightness.    Thus  attracted,  the  Child,  with 
its  newly  acquired  Use  of  Limbs,  makes  for  them ;  it  grasps 
tries  to  make  them  Its  own ;    to   bring  like   and  pro  and 
like  together,  and  to   separate  the  unlike.     Behold  gathers  here 
the  Child  that  can  only  just  hold  Itself  upright,  and  straw,  there 

.  f^,          .  T  stones,  as  if 

has  to  move  with   the  utmost  Caution  ; — it  sees  a  to  make  a 
Twig,  a  Straw,  fetches  it  toilsomely,  like  a  Bird  for  build  a 

house. 

its  Nest  in  the  Spring;   or,  there  It  stoops,  with 
great  Exertion,  under  the  Eaves,  and  moves  slowly. 
The  Rain  that   drops  from   the  Roof  has  washed 
little   smooth,    colored  Stones    out  of    the    Soil   or  is  the  child 
Sand,    and   the   Child's   all-heeding   Sight   gathers  £^tAre 
them    like     Stones,    like    Materials    for    a    future  bSidlnVup' 
Building ;    and  is   It   wrong  ?      Surely,  is  not  the 
Child  gathering  Materials  for  Its  future  Life-build- 
ing ?  .... 

§  61.  Our  part  as  parents,  trainers,  is — while  let- 
ting a  little  child  do  all  It  can,  by  Itself — to  help 
It  find  what  It  cannot  find  for  Itself:  to  interpret 
for  It  what  is  left  when  It  has  worked  out  all 
It  can :  and  this  is,  mainly  to  give  Things  a 
language. 

It   is  a   Yearning  for  this  Help  and   Sympathy  That  we 
which    drives    the    Child   to    us, — Its    Elders,   who  supply  what 

.  .It  cannot 

— sometimes     sadly — thmk :     How     can     we    give  find,  it 

brings  these 

Speech  to  the  Objects  of  the  Child's  Life,  when  to  treasures  to 


40 


THE  STUDENT'S  FROEBEL. 


us,  and 
wants  them 
to  tell  what 
they  are. 


To  the 
Infant  every- 
thing!-new  ; 
It  wants  the 
discovery 
explained. 


An  Infant 
seeks  to 
learn  the 
secret  of 
each  new 
object ;  so, 
twists  it, 
bites  it, 
breaks  it. 

Grown-up 
unwisdom 
scolds  :  yet 
the  Child  is 
acting  on  a 
natural, 
God-given, 
impulse. 


The  broken 
stone  or 
plucked 
flower  is  yet 
silent :  but 
somewhat 
of  its  inner 
make  is 
learned. 


us  they  are  dumb  ?  It  is  with  the  most  earnest 
Desire  that  we  should  do  this,  that  the  Babe  brings 
in  clasped  Hand  Its  Treasures  and  lays  them  in 
our  Lap.  It  wants  them  to  get  warm  there,  and 
then  tell  him  all  about  themselves.  To  the  Child 
everything  is  dear  that  comes  within  its  small 
Horizon,  that  widens  Its  narrow  World ;  the 
smallest  Thing  is  to  It  a  new  Discovery.  But  it 
must  not  come  lifeless  into  the  child's  World ;  it 
must  not  stay  there  lifeless  ;  else  the  small  Horizon 
is  darkened,  the  young  World  oppressed. 

§  62.  So  the  Child  would  like  to  know  all  the 
Properties,  the  inmost  Being  [of  Its  newly-found 
treasure].  It  is  for  this  that  a  little  Child  twists 
and  turns  the  Object  in  all  Directions,  tears  it  up, 
breaks  it  into  Fragments :  to  this  End  puts  it  into 
his  Mouth,  bites,  or  tries  to  bite  it,  to  Pieces.  We 
blame  the  child  for  being  naughty  and  silly;  It  is 
wiser  than  we  who  find  Fault.  The  Child  seeks  to 
know  the  inmost  Nature  of  everything.  It  is 
pressed  on  to  this  by  an  Impulse,  assuredly  not  of 
its  own  giving :  the  Impulse,  which  rightly  under- 
stood and  guided,  seeks  to  know  God  in  all  His 
Works.  For  this  Purpose,  God  has  given  it  Under- 
standing, Reason,  Speech ;  and  where  can  It,  or 
should  It,  look  for  the  Satisfaction  of  Its  Impulse, 
but  in  the  Thing  itself?  True — the  Thing  when 
pulled  to  Pieces  is  still  silent :  but  at  least  when 
thus  divided,  it  shows  like  or  unlike  Parts,  whether 
it  be  the  smashed  Stone  or  the  petal-plucked 
Flower;  and  to  the  Child  this  is  an  Extension  of 

Knowledge 

Froebel  points  out  that  this  is  but  the  child's 


THE  CHILD.  41 

form  of  that  process — observation  and  experi-  childish 
ment — whereby  adults   learn   the   qualities   of  vteanswhm 
objects ;    the  inner   constitution   of  plant   and  examination 

.  and  experi- 

mmeral.  ment. 

§  63.  When  the  Teacher  at  his  Desk  does  this  and  when  class 

m   -IT  -i  •  teaching 

calls  on  our  Children  ta  do  it.  we  see  its  Meaning1  begins  we 

0     see  the  use 

and  Value,  but  not  till  then  :  we  overlook  it  in  the  of  observa- 
tion and 
Child  s  own  Doings.     Therefore  it  is  that  the  best  experiment, 

0  overlook  it 

Teacher's  clearest  Words  so  often  miss  our  Children :  *•  the  fittta 

Child  s  own 

for  the  Pupils  have  to  learn  first  at  School  what  actions. 
Childhood's  Years  with  our  Help,  with  a  Word  of  teaching 
Encouragement   and   Explanation   from   us,  should  SJr  children 
have  taught  them.     It  takes  very  little  Trouble  for  prepared, 
those  around  to  supply  what  Childhood  asks  ;  just  to 
name,  to  put  into  Words,  what  the  Child  does,  aims 
at.  beholds,  or  finds.      Rich  is  the  Tinner  Life  of  a  Easy  to  give 

i  -r,  -i  •  what  Child- 

Child  as  It  approaches  Boyhood,  and  we  see  it  not;  hood  asks: 

T-/»  -i  »-\    •  i  -i  speech  for 

intense  is  its  Life,  and  we  feel  it  not:  adapted  to  what  it  sees, 

does,  finds. 

future  Claims  of  Man's  Destiny  and  Vocation,  but  Misunder- 
we  guess  it  not.     Failing  to  nurture  and  develop  the  thTyoung 
inner  Germs  of  the  child's  Life,  we  let  It  sink  [dis-  resuiThf 
couraged]  under  the  Burden  of  Its  own  Endeavor,  unnaTuraT 
and  grow  dull ;    or  It  breaks  loose  at  some  weak  g 
Point,   and   then  we    see    wrong    Inclinations   and 
Impulses    in    the    Child,    like    morbid   Outgrowths 
of  a  Plant.     We  should  be  glad  now  to  direct  the 
Growth  otherwise,  but   it   is   too    late;    the  Infant 
life  that  would  have  led  naturally  on  to  Boyhood  we 
misunderstood  and  repressed. 

§  64.  With  wonderful  insight  and  sympathy,  F.  Birth  and 

•  growth  of 

portrays  the  birth  and  growth  of  the  drawing  Drawing. 
instinct.       A  little  child   has  found  a   colored 
,  a  bit  of  chalk  or  ruddle,  and  trying  it  on 


42          THE  STUDENT'S  FROEBEL. 

the  nearest. surface,  delights  first  in  the  colour; 

•    next  in  the    lines  it  draws,  straight,   twisted, 

slanting:  by-and-by  it  perceives   that   objects 

about  it  are  apparently  bounded  by  lines. 

*  ''^^ky         A  new  World  opens  to  It  within  and  without,  for 

!   doing, "  F.  F. 

what  Man  tries  to  represent  he  begins  to  understand. 
F.  holds  that  this  use  and  appreciation  of  the 
linear  soon  connects  itself  with  ideas  of  invisible 
force,  direction,  motion :  a  ball  rolling,  a  stone 
falling,  water  running  in  little  channels,  make 
lines.  Talking  as  it  draws,  we  soon  hear  from 
the  little  child,  "There  runs  a  brook  :  here  flies 
a  bird  :  my  tree  has  another  branch,  and  an- 
other." Give  the  child  a  piece  of  chalk,  and  a 
new  creation  soon  appears  for  it  and  you.  And 
if  papa  draws  a  man  or  a  horse  with  a  few 
strokes,  this  man  or  horse  of  lines  will  please  it 
more  than  the  real  ones. 

A  watchful         §  65.  In  this  matter,  how  should  a  Mother  guide 
leam  from      her  Child  ?     The  Child  will  show  her  the  Way. 

her  Infant 

how  to  help  ghe  will  see  it  pass  its  hand  along  the  edge  of 
table  or  chair :  it  is  drawing  the  object  on 
itself,  and  thereby  learning  to  appreciate  form. 
Objects  of  manageable  size — a  pill-box,  scissors, 
its  own  hand,  a  leaf — will  be  placed  on  a  flat 
surface,  and  travelled  round  with  a  finger. 
Without  the  smallest  artistic  talent,  a  heedful 
mother  can  help  the  child  to  draw  straight  lines : 
perpendicular,  oblique,  horizontal.  F.  insists 
that  all  the  child's  doing  should  be  connected 
with  word :  what  it  draws  should  be  named:  for — 
The  Sign  stands  properly  half-way  between  the 
Word  and  the  Object 


THE  CHILD.  43 


Drawing  is  just  as  natural  to  a  Child  as  Speaking,  Drawing 
and  ought  to  be  just  as  carefully  trained.     Experi-  stinctive  a 
ence   shows   this  in   every  Child's  Impulse  to  draw  seif-utter- 

-I    -ni  -r-i  ance>  ** 

and  .Pleasure  in  Drawing.  Speech; 

TT1-I1  I'll  T  •  1  !•  ailC*  l°  *3C  ^ 

Helped,  he  thinks,  by  drawing,  the  sense  for  needfully 

'  trained. 

number   begins   to    awake:    the  child's  figures 
have  two  legs,  two  arms  ;  its  table,  four  legs  :  sense  for  i 
itself  possesses  two  eyes,  five  fingers,  and  so  on.  "wakes',   j 
From  the  first,  the  mother  should  help  this  deve-  D^wing^ 
lopment,  and  F.   gives  many  examples,    which 
must    be    reserved    for    our    Second   Part,   or 
Methodic  —  how   she   should   follow    the    move- 
ments  of  her   child's    mind,    giving    just    the 
needed  word  or  hint  :  never  forcing  aid  upon 
it  where  it  could  help  itself. 

§  66.  When  a  Child   has  been   rightly  led,  and   By  the  end 
truly  cared-for,  to  the   End   of  Its   Child-life   and  wenndin°aii 
Entrance  into  Boyhood,  we  find  in  It  a  wonderful  children1"6' 
Wealth   and   Freshness   of  inner   and    outer    Life,  ness  and 

variety  of 

There  is  not  an  Object  of   Manhood's  Thought   or  life. 
Feeling  which  has  not  its   Root  in   Childhood  ;  not  Germs  of 
a  Subject  of  future  Instruction  and  Learning  but  f 
there  plants  its  Germs.     Speech  and  Nature  lie  open  Manhood? 
to  the  Child;  the  Properties  of  Number,  Form,  Size;  found.-  sub- 
the  Knowledge  of  Space,  the  Nature  of  Force,  the  future  in- 

-n«>  i>    T  «•  n  i         •        •  struction  will 

Effects  of  different  Substances  are  beginning  to  open  show  their 
to  It  ;  Rhythm,  Tone,  and  Shape  appear  to  It  in  their 
Germs  as  specially  noticeable  ;  the  natural  and  artifi- 
cial Worlds  begin  to  be  clearly  discriminated.     It 
meets  the    Outer-world   as   certainly   distinct   from 
Itself;  and  the   feeling  of    an  Inner-world    of   Its 
own  arises.     Still,  we  have,  so  far,  over-looked  an   Yet  another 
entire  Region  of  Child-life  before  it  comes  to  Boy-  cPhii<ui°e: 


44          THE  STUDENT'S  FROEBEL. 

how  it  hood  ;  this  is,  how  It  follows  Father  and  Mother, 
about,  Brother  or  Sister,  in  household  Occupation,  or  the 

parents  in       Employment  of  their  Calling 

§  67.  The  Unfoldings  of  Faculty— for  the  Child's 
Hence,  end-    Present  and  Future — that  come  from  Its  sharing  the 
ment?of0ve~    Parents'  Work,  are   numberless :    and  more   would 
ftTpreMnt     come,  if  those  about  the  Children  heeded  and  used 
profit""16      these  Opportunities  better  [not,  however,  for  direct 
teaching,  but  for  letting  the  children  learn].    An  un- 
spoiled Child,  healthy  in  Soul  and  Body,  leads  a  true 
Father — and  the  careful  Father  leads  the  Child,  who 
is  always  looking  for  mental  and  bodily  Activity — 
from  the  Country  into  the  Town,  from  Nature  to 
Art,  from  Handicraft  to  Garden-  and  Farm-culture. 
However  different  be  the  Starting-point  every  one 
can  learn  something  of  another's  Knowledge  from 
and  combine  it  with,  what  he  himself  knows.     Each 
Trade  or  Craft  affords  a  Beginning,  whence  all  human 

Knowledge  could  be  gained 

Parents  §  68.  The  Child,  your  Child,  O  Fathers,  has  a  deep 

accept—  and  true  Feeling  of  what  It  may  gain  and  learn  from 
thechiidren's  you,  if  you  will  let  It !  That  is  why  It  keeps  near 
work,  for  you,  wherever  you  are,  whatever  you  are  doing. 

thechiidren's    J  J 

sake.  Do  not  send  It  away  ungently:  do  not  drive  It 

Let  them  from  you ;  be  not  impatient  of  Its  Questions, 
harshly  Its  continual  Questioning:  with  every  cross,  re- 

byPsuch '       pelling  Word  you  destroy  a  Bud,  a  Shoot  of  Its  Life- 
thwarting  .  •»  '        i  r 
their  life-       tree.     But  do  not  answer  in  Words,  where  It  can 

tree  loses 

buds,  answer  Itself,  without  your  Word.     Easier  it  is,  to 

shoots! 

be  sure,  to  hear — perhaps  only  half  hear,  and  half 
understand — an  Answer,  than  to  look  for,  and  find 
it,  for  oneself. 

But  an  imperfect  answer,  which  the  child  finds 


THE  CHILD.  45 

for  itself,  is  worth  more  than  half-hearing,  half- 
understanding  a  grown-up  explanation. 
As  soon  as  [and  as  far  as]  they  have  Strength  and  Let  children 
l&operience,  give  them  the  Conditions  of  the  Question,  their  own 

.  questions. 

and  let  them  make  out  the  Answer,  irom  their  own  Hence  is 

double  gain. 

Knowledge.  They  have 

0  ...  usec*  tf?eir 

§  69.  Let  us  then  quietly  consider,  especially  we  own  minds; 

•  *  and  what 

who  are  Fathers — for  at  this  Asre  when  the  Child  is  they  dis- 
covered, 

rising  into  Boyhood,  he  is  especially  given  to  the  *e^; 
Father's  Care  and  Guidance — let  us  quietly  consider  Fathers 
the  Joys  we  should  gain  by  fulfilling  our  fatherly  of°hejjyin 

Duty.     No  higher  Joy.  no  greater  Enjoyment  can  have  in  help- 
ing their 

possibly  come  to  us  from  any  Source  than  from  boys  to 

grow 

guiding     our     Children — living    for      our    Chil- 
dren  

Could  we  but  see  a  quiet  Father,  in  moderate  Cir-  The  sight  of 

•   i       i         i    i          i  -n         ••!  •    •  a  quiet  and 

cumstances,  with  healthy,  happy  Family,  practising  simple 

•  !_•         «    '  i  i         -i  -i      i       i  •       father, 

in  his  own  way  what  is  here  partly  described,  this  practising 

what  is  das- 
Truth  would  penetrate  us  deeply.     Such  a  Father  cribed, 

T»   •  ci-  •  •  would  con- 

puts    the    Principles    of    his    Action   in    very    few  vinceus. 

words.     "  The  first  and  weightiest  point  of  Educa-  « to  teach"" 

tion,"he  says,  "  is  to  lead  Children  early  to  reflect !  "  reflect":  that 

To  put  his  Children  early  to  Work  would,  with  such  eaVfy'tV  e 

a    Father,    go    without    saying.  .  .  .  This     Motto  IShoJt 

is   -A   Seed,   whence   the   whole   of    [mental]    Life, 

like  a  shady  evergreen  Tree,  will  unfold  itself,  full 

of  fragrant  Bloom  and  ripe  wholesome  Fruits.     Let 

us  listen  to  this — we,  who  let  our  Children  move 

about  us,   thoughtless,   workless,   and  therefore  but 

half  alive.     This  is  hard  to  say,  but  it  is  true ; — let 

us  cast   a   searching  Look  into  our   own   Life  and 

Conversation  with  our  Children 

In  words   of  deep    feeling,    which   will   hardly 


46  THE  STUDENT'S  FROEBEL. 

bear  translating  into  our  every-day  English,  F. 
points  out  that  average  parents  are  so  little 
alive  to  Nature,  so  unobservant  of  what  goes  on 
in  their  children's  minds  and  hearts,  that  they 
cannot  give  them — in  practice — the  help  which 
he  knows,  and  shows,  could  be  given.  Let  us 
then,  he  exhorts,  learn  from  them  what  they  need. 
§  70.  Truth  shines  through  the  severe  words  in 
which  F.  denounces  our  common  language  of 
social  life,  as  "  Husks  without  Kernel,  Puppets 
without  Life,"  because  it  has  not  the  basis  of 
intuition,  of  reality.  If  Things  always  came 
before  words ;  if  our  speech  were  the  growth  of 
Life,  made  inwardly  and  outwardly  rich  by 
seeing  and  working,  instead  of  being  "  learned 
out  of  book,  at  third  or  fourth  hand" — then 
F.  says,  our  speech  would  be  warm  not 
cold,  solid  not  hollow.  At  present,  in  our 
language,  "  Intuition  of  the  Thing  connoted  by 
the  word  "  is  lacking,  and  this  his  Teaching 
of  Things,  by  work,  is  meant  to  supply. 
Let  us  live  with  our  Children,  let  them  live  with 
us :  so  shall  we  gain  through  them  what  all  of  us 

Let  us  learn   need Come,  Fathers,  Parents  ;   let    us   give 

to  our   Children,  let  us   procure  for  them  what  we 
ourselves  lack !    What   we  no  longer    possess — the 
all-animating,  all-shaping  Force  of  Child-life — let  us 
import  from  them,  into  our  own  Lives !    Let  us  learn 
from  our  Children;   let  us  give  ear  to  the  gentle 
Monitions  of  their  Life,  the  quiet  Demands  of  their 
Let  us  live     Heart.     Let  us  live  for  our  children  :  thus  will  our 
asVo'r,aouTe    Children's  Life  bring  us  Peace  and  Joy ;  thus  shall 

children  I  i         •  i  v 

we  begin,  ourselves,  to  grow  wise,  to  be  wise. 


THE  CHILD.  47 

Hailmann,  in  a  note  (pp.  89,  90)  to  his  most 
valuable  translation  of  the  "  Menschenerzieh- 
nng,"  has  suggested  an  extension  of  mean- 
ing for  this  noted  motto  of  F.,  "  lasst  uns 
unsern  Kiudern  leben,"  which  may,  or  may 
not,  be  properly  contained  in  the  German,  but 
is  assuredly  accordant  with  all  the  Master's 
principles.  He  prefers,  Let  us  live  with  our 
children ;  which  "  implies  on  our  part  sympathy 
with  childhood,  adaptability  to  children,  know- 
ledge and  appreciation  of  child-nature ; "  and 
more  ;  q.-v. 


IIL 


For  the  §  71.  In  the  Stage  of  human  Development  hereto- 

child.objects  9  °  r 

were  united    fore  [the  Child"],  obiects  of  the  material  World  were 

with  words ;      .        .  J  „ 

words  joined  intimately   connected  with  Words,  and  by   Words 

the  objects  •  • 

to  man.  again  with  Man.     Childhood  was,  therefore,  specially 

5yesWthed  the  season  for  developing  the  Faculty  of  Speech, 

senate  Whatever   the   Child   did   was    connected    with    a 

existence  Name  in  distinct   simple  Words.     For  the   Child, 

Objects  do  ' 

exist* t°uerly   ea°h  Object,  Matter,  Thing,  came  into  Existence  by 

named-         means  of  the  Word.     Though  seen  by  the  bodily 

Eye,  an  Object  did  not  exist  for  the  Child   until 

named ;    Word    and  Thing,  like  Trunk   and   Pith, 

Bough  and  Twig,  seemed  and  were  one.     Notwith- 

But  each       standing  this  intimate  Union  of  Objects  with  Words, 

object  is  (to  •   i      -»r  i       *-\i  •  i   • 

it)  a  whole,  and  through  them  with  Man,  each  Object,  on  this 
Stage  of  Development  remains  distinct  from  others, 
and  each  Thing  is  an  undivided  Whole.  Now  the 
Destination  of  Man  and  of  Things  asks  for  some- 
thing beyond  this. 

Each  object  Each  object  is  not  only  a  whole  in  itself,  but 

is  really  part  .  . 

of  a  larger  is  differentiated  for  a  common  purpose ;  is  part 

whole,  and 

this  wider  of   a   larger   whole :     and    as    such   must    be 

connexion 

has  to  be  recognized. 

recognized. 

Not  the  outer  Rejations  only  of  each  Thing,  but 
its  inner  Connexions,  its  inner  Union,  with  that  from 


THE  BOY.  49 

which  it   is  outwardly  divided,  have  to  be   recog- 
nized. 

§  72.  The  Whole  of   what    surrounds   Man,  the  Man  sees 

f\  11  •  Objects 

Outer-world,    cannot   be  recognized  at  once  in    its  b^t,  when 

-11  not  to°  near- 

Unity ;    but    only    through     Knowledge     of    each 

Object's  own  Nature  and  Essence 

We  find  it   hard   to  know  things,  their  inner 

nature,  when  they  are  too  near. 

Separation  without,  often  brings  Union  and  Recogni-  TO  know 
tion  within.     Thus,  alas !    we  know  many  foreign  BUM  *et 
Things — foreign  Countries,  foreign   Times,  foreign  duunc*.  * 
Peoples — better  than  our  own  Neighbourhood,  our 
own   Time,  our  own  selves.     If   a  Man  desires  to 
know  himself  truly,  he  must  set  himself  outside,  as 
it   were   over   against,    himself.      If    then,   as    his 
Destination  requires,  Man  is  to  know  aright,  to  enter  The  later 
into  the  Being  of  each   Object  of  the  world  about  development 
him  ;  if  he  is,  through  each  Thing,  to  know  aright,  from  object" 
to  comprehend,  himself;  then,  as  soon  as  the  Child-  tobriJIgboth 
hood-stage  is  past  a  new  Sphere  of  Development  inwardly, 
must  open  for  him,  and  in  an  opposite  Direction. 
That  earlier  Stage  united  Man  and  Object ;  the  later, 
separates    Man   from   Object,    contrasts   Man    and  NOW,  lan™ 
Object  with  each  other  outwardly,  while  inwardly  as  inde- 
bringing  them   nearer  and  uniting  them.     This  is 
the  Stage  in  which  Language  itself  comes  forth  as  Man  n-ses 
independent,  as  existing  for  its  own  Sake.     We  are  nroS  tc.hboy- 
now  entering  upon  this  Stage.     It  is  by  this  Division 
of  Name  from  Thing,  and  of  Thing  from  Name ; 
of  Speech  from  Speaker,  and  vice  versd  ;  moreover  by  s^eTker : 
what  follows  later,  giving  a  visible  Body  to  Speech,  fnng  a  viable 
by  means  of  Dravaing   and  Writing,  and  treating  speJcnV 
Language  as  something    material — that   Man    rises  writing a' 


50  THE  STUDENT'S  FROEBEL. 

from   the   Stage    of    Childhood   to    that    of    Boy- 
hood, 
childhood          §  73.  Just  as  the  former  Stage  of  human  Develop- 

lived  for  its  ..  11          _.  .          -,.-,- 

own  sake,      ment — Childhood — consisted  in  Living:,  m  Life,  for 

and  strove         .  ° 

to  express      its  own  Sake,  and  aimed  at  externalizing  the   In- 

what  was 

within.  ternal ;  so  the  present,  Boyhood — is  prominently 
thTstage  of  the  stage  of  internalizing  the  External ;  the  Stage  of 

bringing-in          4  •    ••• 

what  is         Acquisition. 

learning.  On   the    parents'   side,  the  nursling-stage  was 

chiefly  the  time  of  tendance ;  to  see  that  the 
little  being  took  no  harm.  The  next  age — shall 
we  say,  from  two  or  three  to  seven  years  ? — is 
that  in  which  training  should  prevail ;  that  is, 
the  child  is  watched  and  helped  to  utter  itself 
naturally ;  not  schoolmastered  or  taught  by 
force.  And,  the  stage  of  boyhood  is  the  period 
in  which  instruction  prevails. 

instruction  §  74.  Instruction  depends  not  so  much  on  the 
i!awsS  to  '  Laws  which  govern  Man  per  se,  as  on  those  which 
IiiThings3-  govern  Things,  Man  of  course  among  them ; — on  the 

independent  .  .  .  _^ 

of  man;        universal  Law,  which  expresses  itseli  in  every  Object 

except  that  /.-m-  i     i        /~i         T    •  • 

he  too  is  a  outside  of  Man,  and  by  Conditions  independent  of 
"School"  is  Man.  Instruction,  therefore,  has  to  be  carried  on 
however™"11  with  all  attainable  Knowledge,  Insight,  Circumspec- 
ufs'tniction  tion,  and  Purpose.  Such  a  Course  -is  School  in  the 
is  given.  fullest  gense  of  tne  Word  ....  School  is  where 

Man,  rising  ,  _  . 

out  of  child-    the  human   Being  is  led  to,  and  attains  the  Know- 
age,  is  a  3 
scholar:        ledge  of  Objects  without  him;  of  their  Nature  as 

whether  at 

hbmed°r  determined  by  Laws  special  to  them,  and  by  general 
under  parent  Laws  .  .  The  Boy  at  once  becomes  a  Scholar. 

or  profes-  .  » 

ilachw  Boyhood  coincides  with  School-age ;  whether  the 
Schooling  be  at  Home  or  abroad, ;  under  the  Father, 
or  some  other  Member  of  the  Family ;  or  a  Teacher 


THE  BOY.  51 

by  Profession.  In  the  Word  School,  therefore,  we 
understand  neither  School-room  nor  School-keeping  ; 
but  the  conscious  Imparting  of  various  Knowledge, 
for  a  conscious  Aim,  with  conscious  inward  Con- 
nexion. 


§  75.  The  Development  of  Man  for  attaining  his  True  de- 
Destiny — fulfilling  his  Vocation — always   has   been  man  is  con- 

.         ,  tinuous, 

and  still  is,  a  Whole,  steadily  advancing,  rising  un-  unbroken. 

broken  from  Step  to  Step.     Out  of  the  social  Feeling  earliest 

r  r  3  social  feeling 

aroused  in   the  Nursling,  grow  Impulse,  Inclination  in  the  .infant 

0 '    °                     *•  grows  mi- 
ni the  Child  ;  these  again  lead  to  Unfolding  of  Heart  Pal?e.'  di?- 

position  in 

and   Disposition ;    and   thence,   in    the   Boy,   grow  'j^  £hild ; in 

Activity  of  Intellect  and  Will.     To  raise  Activity  of  ac^f  <* 

»  •*  mind  and 

Will  into  Firmness ;  to  mould  and  animate  a  pure,  wilL 

firm,  enduring  Will,  so  as  to   realize  and   practise  activity  into 

•i  T  •    •     *  •  -i     /»       i    /-«       i  steadiness, 

genuine  humanity,  is  the  chiei   Aim  and  nnal  Goal  and  make 

of  the  Boy's  Training  by  School  and  Instruction.  .  .  .  firm  wi'ii, 

Thus  Boyhood's  Training  rests  wholly  on  the  Child's  and  aim  of 

.  boyhood's 

Training ;    Activity   of  Will    grows   out   of   Heart-  training ;  of 

activity ;  Steadiness  of  Will  comes  from  Steadiness  This  training 

of  Heart;    and    where   this    latter   is  wanting  the  musteha°e 

former  will  be  hard  to  attain.     The  Expression  of  a  training  as 

genuine  good  Heart,  of  a  sensible  pious  Mind,  in  the  Alld'    nds 

Child,  is    however  the  inwardly  longing  Endeavor  ^^ 

to  find  an  inner  and  necessary  Bond,  even  for  the  p^m™^ 
outwardly  diverse  Matters  and  Things  by  which  it 

sees  itself  surrounded 

§  76.  The  natural  training  of  man   in  the  child- 
stage  is  effected,  we  have  seen,  by  play — natural,  piay— the 

.  means  of 

Varied  play.  child's  train- 

In  Play,  Man — the  Child — is  placed  at  the  'Centre  th- '  wirou- 

A  ment  of 

of   Things;    all  Things  exist  only  in  Reference  to  family-life 
It     But  in  Family-life  only  can  a  good  Heart  and 


62          THE  STUDENT'S  FROEBEL. 

humbly  thoughtful  Mind  be  fully  unfolded  and 
cultivated,  and  these  are  unspeakably  momentous 
for  every  succeeding  Stage  of  each  individual 
Life,  and  for  the  whole  Life  of  Humanity  .... 
The  Child  refers  Everything  to  Family-life,  and 
sees  all  Things  in  it  as  in  a  Mirror.  Its  own 
A  child  takes  Family-life  is  regarded  objectively,  and  becomes  a 

its  own  -.  .-    j    i 

home-        Model  ......................... 

model  ofaii  Whatever  is  done  at  home,  is  right  :  wherein 

.    others  differ,  ih&y  are  wrong  ! 

So,  as  It  sees  Parents  and  elder  Members  of  Its 

Family  working,  doing  useful  Things  ;  sees,  among 

Neighbours,  grown-up  People  labouring,  creating: 

It  wants  and  tries  to  do  what  It  sees  them  doing. 

That  which  in  the  little  Child  was  Action  for  Ac- 

in  younger    tion's  Sake,  becomes  in  the  Boy,  Activity  for  the 

activity  was    Sake  of  Doing  —  Producing  —  something.    The  Child's 

andgiri'now  Impulse  of  Activity  has  unfolded  in  the  Boy,  into 

want  to  pro-  .  _  7-1      •  i  ' 

ducesome-  a  formative  Impulse,  a  Desire  to  create;  and  this 
Desire  becomes  simply  the  strongest  visible  Charac- 
teristic of  the  Boy. 

§  77.  At  this  stage  Boy  and  Girl  begin  to  take 
They  desire  Delight  in  Trying  to  share  Father's  or  Mother's 
parent?  Work  :  not  Playwork  ;  no,  no  !  what  calls  for 

work.  -,-.          ,. 

Notforplay,  Exertion. 

useful.10  be  With    yet     more      earnestness     than     before 

(§  68),  F.  entreats  parents  to  be  careful  not 
to  thwart,  not  to  discourage,  this  most  precious 
impulse. 

Unkindly  Beware  of  saying,  "  Go  away  !  you  teaze  me  !  "  or 
fteSi  "  I  am  in  a  Hurry;  let  me  do  It  myself."  ...  If 
such  Rebuffs  take  Place  but  a  few  Times,  the  Boy 


nothfng  to     will  never  again  of  his  own  Accord  offer  Help.     He 


THE  BOY.  63 

will   stand   about   idling-,   even   where   he   sees   his  being 
Parents  at  Work  in  which  he  could  assist.     Who  sc 
has  not  heard  Parents  complain  of  Children  thus 
treated  ?     They  say,  "  When  the  Boy,  or  Girl,  was 
small   and   could  do  no   Good,  It  was  busy  about 
Everything ;  now,  when  It  has  some  Knowledge  and 
Strength,  It  prefers  doing  Nothing." 

The  Boy  or  Girl  does  not  ask,  does  not  consider, 
why  Its  help  was  at  one  Time  useful,  at  another 
useless;  It  chooses  the  easiest  Way,  and  gives  up 

caring  to   be  useful Therefore,  if  Parents 

wish  for  their ,  Children's  Help  hereafter,  let  Them 
early  cherish  their  Children's  active  Instincts  ;  and 
especially  this  formative  Impulse  of  Boyhood,  even 
if  it  do  cost  them  a  little  Self-command  and  Sacri- 
fice ;  like  good  Seed  in  good  Soil,  it  will  bring 

forth  a  hundred-fold Strengthen,  develop, 

confirm  it. 

§  78.  The  Boy  wants  to  share  the  Home-labour — to  The  boy 
be  lifting,  drawing,  carrying  Water,  splitting  Wood,  take  in  his 
He  wants,  to  try  his  own  Strength  on  Everything,  work:  to  try 

_.  his  own 

that  his  Frame  may  grow  stronger,  and  that  he  may  strength  and 
know  what  he  can  do.     The  Boy  follows  his  Father  much  he  has. 
everywhere,  into    Garden,  Field,  and  Wood ;    goes 
with  him  into  the  Workshop ;  to  tend  the  Animals, 
or  mend  the  tools  ;  .  .  .  whatever  the  Father  has  to 
do.     Question  upon  question  bursts  out  of  the  Boy's  H;S  ques- 
Heart,   which   is  athirst  for  knowledge.       "  How  ?  numberless. 
Why?   When?    Whence?   What  for?"     And  any  SSSto 
tolerably   complete   reply  opens   up   to  the  Boy  a  mediator  of 
new  World ;  Speech  seems  to  him  the  Mediator  ledge. 
of  all  Things. 

The   healthy   Boy,    simply   brought-up,    never 


54  THE  STUDENT'S  FROEBEL. 

Boy  win  not  avoids  or  tries  to  escape  an  Obstacle,  a  Difficulty  : 
en?oy,' w'  he  looks  for  them,  he  overcomes  them.  "  Let  it  be," 
cries  the  Lad,  when  his  Father  wants  to  move  a  piece 
of  Timber  out  of  his  Way  :  "  let  it  be,  I'll  get  over 
it."  It  is  hard  to  get  over,  but  he  does  it :  and  with 
Strength  and  Courage  grown  he  goes  back,  climbs 
over  the  Obstacle  again,  and  soon  skips  over  it,  as 
though  Nothing  were  in  the  Way.  Hence  comes 
his  bold,  venturesome  Strength  ;  he  creeps  into 
Oaves  and  Clefts,  climbs  Trees  and  Hills,  searches 
Heights  and  Depths,  wanders  in  Woods  and  Fields. 
The  hardest  is  easy,  and  the  most  dangerous  safe, 
when  the  Impulse  to  it  comes  out  of  the  inner 
Nature,  the  Heart,  the  Will. 
He  wants  to  §  79.  Beside  this  Impulse  to  use,  try,  and  measure 

go  every- 
where, find     his  own  Powers,  Something  else  drives  the  Boy  into 

out  every-  . 

thing.  Height,  and  Depth,  and  Distance.  A  Need  is  grow- 

ing out  of  his  inner  Life  to  survey  the  Manifold  ;  to 
see,  as  a  Whole,  what  is  divided ;  especially  to  bring 
near  what  is  distant,  to  understand  Distance,  Mani- 
foldness,  Everything !  .  .  .  .  The  climbing  of  a  new 

ciimWng  a     Tree  is  to  the  Boy  the  discovery  of  a  new  World. 

tree,  he  sees 

a  new  world.  geen  from  above,  everything  looks  quite  different 
from   what   it   is  when   seen   crowded  and  fore- 
shortened,   on   the    Level.       Could    we  recall    the 
Boy's  inquir-  Feelings  that  widened  our  Soul  and  Heart  when  as 
turous  spirit    Boys  we  saw  rfroTn  tree-topi  the  narrowing  Bounds 

should  not  J  L  rj 

be  timidly      of  common  View  disappear,  we  should  not  so  coldly 

call  out  to  him,  "  Come  down  :  you  will  fall !".... 

Boy,  Ought  we  not — do  we  not— wish  to  give  our  Boy 

small  dan-      this  Uplifting  of  Spirit  and  Mind  betimes  ?     Shall 

gers  as  they 

come,  win      he  not,  on  sunlit  Height,  clear  his  Vision,  widen  his 
strength.       Heart,  by  a  Look  into  Distance  ?     "  But  the  Boy  will 


THE  BOY.  55 

be  foolhardy ;  I  shall  never  have  a  Moment's  Peace  and  at  each 
about  him."     The  Boy,   who,  from  his  first  Years  menfgo**1 
has  been  led  as  his  Strength  grew  [to  use  it],  will  fanher'than 
each   time   expect   from   himself  just  a  little    more 
than  he  has  already  done,  and   thus,  as  led  by  a 
protecting   Genius,    will   come    safely    through    all 

Dangers 

§  80.    Another    boyish    taste    should    be    gently   Boy  makes 
treated — not  ruthlessly  crushed.      This   is   for  cave,  or 

,  .          ,  .  .  ,       .  ,       ,  wood,  bring- 

making  his  way  into  caves  and  glens,  dark  grove  mg  home 

IT  DeW  °kJ CCtS 

or  wood,  "to  seek  the  undiscovered,  behold  the  of  wonder, 
unseen,  bring  to  light  what  was  in  darkness." 
He  will  come  back  with  precious  spoil  of  new 
plants  or  stones — perhaps  creatures  not  found 
near   home.     Then,   numberless   questions   are 
asked,  and  every  answer  widens  and  enriches 
his  world.     Parents  are  warned  not  to  ^ry  out,   L«  parents 
at  sight  of  grub,  beetle,  or  lizard,  "  Fie !  throw  teaching 

..'.,.  .„  T(.  needless 

it  down  ;  it  is  horrid,  it  will  sting  you.       It  the  dread  of 

.     &  J  .       harmless 

boy  obey,  he  flings  away  with  it  a  portion  of  his  grub,  or 
human  strength :    for  later,   when  you,   or  his  camion  him 
own  reason,  say,  "  It  is  a  harmless  creature,"  he  handling 
will  still  shrink  from  it,  and  thus  a  portion  of  tures-for 
knowledge  is  wasted.      You  may  caution  him 
against  handling  animals  that  he  does  not  know  ; 
specially  for  their  sakes.    This  editor  has  known 
a  child  bring  its  pinafore,  quasi  full,  of  worms, 
beetles,  caterpillars,  out  of  the  garden,  to  its 
mother ;  and  she,  the  wise  and  gentle,  made  the 
child  understand  that  the  dear  creatures  would 
be  happier  taken  back  whence  they  came. 
§  81.    But  our  energetic   Boy  will   not  be  found   on  the  plain 
always  on  Height,  or  in   Depth  and   Shade.     The  garden,6*  * 


56 


THE  STUDENT'S  FEOEBEL. 


stream  with 
a  water- 
wheel,  or 
floats  a  ship  ! 


Boy  loves  to 
shape  any 
substance 
that  can  be 
shaped — 
sand,  or  clay, 
or  snow. 

He  digs  a 
cave  in  a 
hillock, 
builds  a  hut 
with  boughs 
and  laths, 
heaps  snow 
into  a  for- 
tress, or  a 
statue. 


Boy  should 
have  some 
space — plot 
— or  corner 
for  his  very 
own. 


To  occupy  a 
kirger  space, 
co-operation 
comes  in. 


same  Endeavor  to  get  Round-,  Over-,  and  In- 
sight, that  took  him  to  Hill  and  Dale,  is  with,  him 
on  the  Plain.  See!  there  at  the  Edge  of  his 
Father's  Ground,  he  makes  a  little  Garden  :  there, 
in  the  Wheel-rut,  or  by  the  Ditch,  he  mimics  the 
Course  of  a  River :  here,  he  gets  a  nearer  and 
clearer  View  -of  the  Fall  and  Pressure  of  Water  by 
his  own  little  Water-wheel:  here,  he  studies  the 
Floating  of  a  Bit  of  thin  Wood,  or  Bark,  on  the 

Water   which   he   has   banked  into  a  Pool 

The  Boy  at  this  Age,  too,  is  so  fond  of  occupying 
himself  with  any  Kind  of  shapeable  Matter,  as  Sand 
or  Clay,  that  we  might  call  it  a  vital  Element  for 
him.  Having  once  gained  the  Feeling  of  Power  he  seeks 
to  rule  over  Matter,  to  control  it:  everything  must 
submit  to  his  Impulse  of  Shaping  and  Forming.  In 
a  Hillock  he  will  have  a  Cellar,  a  Cave ;  upon  it  a 
Garden,  or  a  Bench.  Boards,  Branches,  Laths,  and 
Poles  make  him  a  Hut ;  deep  Snow  is  heaped  into 
Walls  and  Ramparts,  for  a  Fortress:  the  rough 

Stones  on  a  Height  form   a  Castle Thus 

each  one  shapes  his  own  World ;  for  the  Feeling  of 
Strength  that  is  one's  own,  soon  requires  the  Posses- 
sion of  a  Space  and  Material  that  is  one's  own.  Let  the 
Boy's  Realm,  his  Province,  be  it  a  Corner  of  the 
Garden,  the  House,  or  the  Room  ;  let  it  be  the  Space 
of  a  Band-box,  a  Trunk,  or  a  Drawer ;  let  it  be  a 
Cave,  a  Hut,  a  Garden-plot :  he,  the  Human-being, 
the  Boy  at  this  Age,  must  have  a  real,  material 
Centre  of  his  own ;  best  of  all  if  it  be  self-made, 
or  self-chosen. 

§  82.   When  the  Space  to  fill  is  large,  the  Pro- 
vince to  rule  great,  or  the  Whole  to  represent  many- 


THE  BOY.  57 

sided,  a  brotherly  Union  of  those  with  like  Tastes 
comes  in :  and  when  like-minded  Ones  meet  and 
their  Hearts  respond,  then  either  the  Work  already 
begun  is  extended,  or  a  new  Work  is  undertaken,  in 
common. 

Simply  for  lack  of  space,  I  omit,  with  positive  F^™e* 
pain,  F.'s  full  description  of  the  work  of  happy  ^'t^665 
boys ;  at  first,  separate ;  by  degrees,  when  as  he  writes- 
extended,  joined-in  by  others,  and  so  leading 
to  division  of  labour  and  unselfish  use  of  various 
tastes  and  gifts,  for  a  common  purpose. 
Sketching  what  was  no  doubt  before  his  eyes 
in  his  own  "  much-used  pupil-room,"  he  tells  us 
of  a  quiet  little  boy  building  a  chapel,  with  cross 
and  altar,  in  one  corner;  two  others  raising  a 
castle  on  a  chair,  used  in  the  light  of  a  rock  ; 
on  the  plain — the  floor — is  a  village.  They  in- 
spect and  admire  each  other's  work.  Another 
time,  one  has  made  a  landscape  with  clay  and 
moss ;  another  a  card- board  house  ;  a  third  has 
been  carving  boats  out  of  walnut-shells.  Apart, 
they  look  well ;  how  much  better,  together !  So 
the  house  is  placed  upon  a  hill,  and  the  boats 
are  set  to  swim  on  the  lake,  and  the  youngest 
brings  his  shepherd  and  sheep  to  pasture  by 
^  the  waterside. 

§  83.  At  this  Age,  it  is  most  desirable  that  Children  children— of 
should  cultivate  Gardens  of  their  own  ;  and  for  useful  should  have 
Production,  too.      [They  may  grow   vegetables  for  cultivate; 
themselves.]     Thus,  first,  a  Human-being  sees  the  but  profit. 
Fruits  of  his  own  Labor.     For,  though  subject  to  man  sees  the 

..         fruit  of  his 

Laws  of  Nature  which  he  cannot  control,  he  sees  the  toil. 
Results  depend  much  on  his  own  Activity 


68  THE  STUDENT'S  FROEBEL. 

Thus  the  Boy's  Life  with   Nature;    his  Questions 

about  her ;  his  Longing  to  become  acquainted  with 

Boy  should     her,   get  full  and  varied  Satisfaction.     If  the  Boy 

have  at 

least  a  few      cannot  have  a  Garden  of  his  own,  at  least  a  few 

plants  in  box 

or  flower-       Plants  in  Box  or  Pots  should  be  his :  not  choice  or 

pot — for  his 

own.             rare  Mowers,  difficult  to  manage,  but  hardy  Plants, 
abundant  in  Leaves  and  Bloom 

F.   goes  on  to   the   consideration  of  games — 

so-called. 
Many  games       §  84.  The  Play  for  voluntary  Occupation!  of  this 

of  boyhood        0    ,         ,  J     L  J 

are  simpiy,     School-age  does  not  wholly  consist  of  mere  Repre- 

or  mainly,  t      '  i  l 

for  trial  of      sentation  of  Obiects :  many  Games  are  simply  for 

strength  and  _  .  . 

agility.          Trial,  Comparison,  and  Display  of  Strength 

Such  are  —  everywhere  —  running,  wrestling, 
sparring,  games  of  war  and  hunting ;  for  the 
British  horizon,  prisoners'  base,  hockey,  football, 
cricket. 

Games          In  such  Games  the  Boy  becomes  aware  of  his  own 
strength  of     Strength,  feels  it  grow  and  improve  in  himself  and 
they  be-    '     his  Comrades,  and  is  thus  filled  with  vivid  and  eager 
nurseries  of    Pleasure. !;  Nor  is  it  by  any  means  bodily  Strength 
moral  forces,   alone  that  finds  solid  Nutriment  in  these  Games  : 
the  mental   and  moral   Forces   are  thereby  raised, 
confirmed  ;  more,  if  possible,  even  than  the  physical. 
Justice,  Moderation,    Self-control,    Truth,   Faithful- 
Flowers  of     ness,  Kindness,  and  strict  Impartiality  too  :  does  not 
w!ii-an<       every  one  who  approaches  a  Circle  of  such  Boys  at 

justice,  self-  _  ..  i      3    /»  •         i  •• 

control,         Play  [that  is,  such  as  have  had  fair  chances  in  in- 
presenceot     fancy  and  childhood"]  scent  the  Fragrance  of  these 

mind, even 

pity  and        Flowers  of   Heart,  and  Mind,  and  Will  ?    "  Bright- 
kindness, 

grow  in  the     colored,   if   less  fragrant  Blossoms,  too,  are  there ; 

play-places  "  ' 

oiboys.         Courage,  Endurance,  Resolution,  Presence  of  Mind, 
along  with   sharp  Penalty,  perhaps   Expulsion,  for 


THE  BOY.  59 

the  too  easy-going  and  lazy.  If  you  love  to  inhale 
a  fresh,  a  refreshing,  Breath  of  Life,  visit  such  a 
Playground.  Nor  are  yet  tenderer  Blossoms  absent. 
....  [Those  who  know  how  to  look  for  them  will 
find]  Pity,  Patience,  Help,  Fairness,  Encouragement 
to  those  younger,  more  delicate  in  Health,  weaker 
by  no  fault  of  their  own ;  or  who  are  new  to  the 
Game. 

§  85.  All  this  ought  to  be  considered  by  those  who  Boys-  Piay 

1  1         •  J  r        ™  J        should  there- 

scarcely  approve,  only  iust  endure,  for  Playgrounds  fore  be 

TVI  •  -ri  i  •  c  encouraged, 

to  have  a  Place  in  the  Education  of  Boys and  fit  space 

and  order 

Every  Town  ought  to  have  a  special  Playground  provided. 
for  its  Boy-world ;    and  the  Results  to  the  whole  p^pfrff™!5 
Community   would   be   admirable.      The  Games  of  social  Me. 
this  Stage  of  Life  are,  when  possible,  social ;  there- 
fore they  tend  to  form  and  unfold  social  Feeling, 
the  Laws  and  Claims  of  Society.     The  Boy  wants 
to  see  himself  in  his  Fellows,  to  feel  himself  in  them, 
to  measure   and  weigh  himself  by  them ;    thus  to 
know  himself  by  them  and  in  them  ;  so  these  social 
Games  prepare  directly  for  Life;   they  waken  and 
nourish  many  civil  Virtues. 

But  the   Seasons  and  other   Circumstances  may  Season  or 
hinder  the  Boy,  when  free  of  Home-  and  School-  may  hinder 
duties,  from  usiner  his  Strength  in  the  open  Air:  occupation; 

which  is 

and  the   Boy   w  never   to   be   idle   on  any  Account,  always  the 

y-v  •  i  best, 

Therefore,    various    indoor    Occupations    make    an  The  boy 
essential  Part  of  Boy-life  and  Boy-training ;  specially  b^fdieT^ 
such  as  one  calls  Handiwork:  e.g.,  Construction  in  inapaper,r ' 
Paper  and  Cardboard,  &c.  w^od,  ar 

fr  86/  But    there    is   in    Man   another   Endeavor,  provided, 
another  Longing,   another    Demand  of  the    Heart, 
which  is  not  to  be  satisfied  by  any  or  all  of  these 


60  THE  STUDENT'S  FROEBEL. 

Man— as       material  Occupations  ....  The   Present,  with  all 
content         its  Fullness  and  Wealth,  does  not  suffice  him.    From 

with  know-  .  irt  •  •  t  • 

ing  what       seeing  that   Something  is,  to-day,   he   infers   that 
he  desires      Something  was,  in  the  Past.     He  would  like  to  know 

to  know  how 

the  present     the  Reason,  the  Cause,  which  is  gone,  of  what  now 

grew  out  of 

the  past.  exists;  he  wants  the  Eemains  of  old  Time  to  tell 
him  about  themselves,  and  their  Causes,  and  that 
old  Time.  Cannot  every  one  remember,  that,  when 

RuinsT        in  his  riper  Boyhood  he  saw  old  Walls,  and  Towers ; 

pillars—        the  Ruins  of  an  old  Building,  or  memorial  Stones 

waken  the 

longing  to     and   Pillars  upon  Heights ;  there  awoke   in  him  a 

hear  their  r  °  ' 

story  of  the  Longing  to  be  told  all  about  these  Objects,  their 
Age  and  Meaning,  by  those  who  must  know,  his 
Elders  ?  .  .  .  He  wants  the  Ruins  themselves  to  tell 

Thus  grows    him  Stories,  to  narrate  their  History  to  him  :  and  so 

the  demand  '  ' 

is  developed  in  the  Boy  [and  girl]  of  this  Age  the 

history.         Demand  for   Stories,  for    Legend;    by-and-by,   for 

History.     This   Demand,    especially   at  first,  is  so 

strong  that  when  not  satisfied  by  others,  Boys  try 

to  gratify  it  for  themselves 

We  may  all  have  seen  a  circle  of  children 
gathered  round  one  whom  retentive  memory 
and  lively  imagination  make  a  good  story- 
teller, and  listening  with  all  their  ears. 

Much— in          §  87.  The  Present,  moreover,  in   which  the  Boy 

too-thLThe  is  living,  contains  much  that  he  cannot  explain  for 

understand,    himself,  and  would  like  to  have  explained  ;  much 

dead!hems     that  seems  to  him  dumb,  yet  he  wants  it  to  speak ; 

Hv^and*™     much  that  seems  to  him  dead,  and  he"  would  so  like 

to  have  it  living  and  lively.     He  wants  to  hear  from 

others  the    Interpretation  of  all  this;  to  have  the 

Voice  of  these  speechless  Objects  made  audible;  he 

desires  to    hear  in  Words   that  inner  living   Con- 


THE  BOY.  61 

nexion  of  all  Things  which  he  dimly  feels.      But  Hence  the 

other    People    are    but    rarely  able    to  gratify   the  stonesgthat 

Boy's  Wishes  ;  and  so  there  unfolds  in  him  a  Longing  or  migh't  be 

for  Stories  of  human  Life  and  Fairy-tale for  fairy- 

n  •  r*  m  M  n  •  •  -n    •  tales  or 

Sometimes  we  find  Children    inventing  Fairy-  fables  that 

could  not. 

tales  for  themselves —  If  not  givenj 

And  such  self-made   Stories  plainly  tell  an  Ob-  maLTi/iem, 

server  what  is  working  in  the  Mind  of  the  young  shfw^the 

Narrator,  though  he  knows  it  not hiTmind.0 

Again,  what  lives  in  him,  what  he  feels,   what  The  life 

his  mind    guesses,  what  swells  his  heart  with  hisjoyin"1" 

, i         •  £  i  •  •  ,-,  f  •  strength,  in 

the  joy  of  his  conscious  strength,  or  ot  spring-  sPring-he 
beauty ;  all  this  the  boy  longs  to  express  in  his  express,  and 
own  words  :  but  finding  none,  he  is  thankful  for  wordsl 

°.    ,_        .  thankful  for 

others  utterance,  especially  IP  amity      The  boy,  other's  help, 

ai  J    i  •     i       ".  .        .  especially  by 

when  cheerful  and  happy,  delights  in  singing  :  song,  when 
for  when  singing  he  feels  himself  doubly  alive,  delights  in 
and  the  sense  of  growing  strength  makes  his 
merry  voice  sound  over  hill  and  valley. 
Thus  far  the  ideal  Life  of  Boyhood. 

§  88.  BOYISH  FAULTS. 

We  turn  from  this  ideal  view  of  child-life,  within  So  far  the 

'  life  of 

and   without — which  really  exists  too,  for  the  children 

•  in  the  school- 

blessing  of  mankind,  wherever  we  find  a  truly  *%%t£}i* 
human   training   of  children :    which  is  some-  ™ay  b.e- and 

often  is. 

times  seen  in  real  life  with  greater  beauty  and  Their.reai 

*  condition,  as 

fulness   than    is    here    ideally    portrayed — we  f"^0^7 
turn  to  the  ordinary  real  life  of  children,  in  the  describe' too 
majority  of  cases ;  and  this,  F.  cannot  be  justly  m]diy. 
accused  of  portraying  with  lines  too  weak,  or 
colors  too  faint.     He  says : 
If  we  look  into  the  real  Life  of  Children  and  Boys, 


62  THE  STUDENT'S  FROEBEL. 

A  heavy  as  it  shows  itself  at  Home  and  at   School,  we  are 

fautt°,gue  compelled  to  say  plainly  that  much  which  is  quite 

within™  unideal  meets  us:    Self-will,  Defiance,  Laziness  —  of 

the  school-  Body  and  Mind  —  Greediness,  Vanity,  and  Conceit  ; 

TWO  obvious  Self-assertion  and  Masterfulness;   unbrotherly,  un- 


Behavior  ;    Emptiness  of    Mind,   Superfi- 
certarn'Ides  ciality  ;  Dread  of  Work,  even  of  Play  ;  Disobedience  ; 
Itu'reT'k)     Forgetfulness  of  God.     If  we  look  for  the  Sources  of 
lop'm'fn'toT"    these  and  other  faulty  Examples  of  childish  and  boyish 
origfnaiiy       Conduct,  which  are  not  to  be  denied,  two    Reasons 
good.  °        occur  to  us,  immediately.     On  the  one  Hand,  Un- 
folding of  certain  Sides  of  Human  Nature  has  been 
wholly  omitted  ;  on  the  other  Hand,  human  Powers 
and  Dispositions,  meant  to  be  good,  have  been  wrongly 
directed  and  developed,  so  as  to  become  distorted  ; 
or,  the  natural  and  necessary  Development  of  the 
Human-being  has  been  irregularly  thwarted. 

NO  human  §  89.  For  surely  the  Nature  of  Man  is  good,  and 

canbe107  there   are   in    Man   Qualities,   Tendencies,    good  in 

eviT.gne  themselves.     Man  in  himself  is  not  bad  ;  nor  are 

Man,  being  any  human  Impulses  evil  in  themselves  .....  As- 

reason  and  suming  the  Destination  of  Man  for  Consciousness, 

Miowsdiat  Reason,  and  Freedom,  it  follows  that  Man  must  be 

have  power  able  to  sin  in  order  to  be  virtuous  ;  to   be   truly  free 

s°n?    '  he  must  have  the  Power  of  becoming  a  Slave.     If 
Man    is    to    do    with    Self-determination    what   is 

freely  to  Divine  and  Eternal,  it  follows  that  he  can  and  may 

divine,  he  do'what  is  Earthly  and  Finite.     Since  God  chose  to 

must  be  able 

to  prefer  the  make  Himself  known  finitely,  this  could  be  onlv  in 

earthly.  ... 

whoso  calls    what  is  finite  and  transitory.     Whoever,  therefore, 
finite  and       calls  the  Temporal  and  Finite  bad,  is  thereby  scorn- 


THE  BOY.  63 

ing  the  Creation,  Nature  herself;  yes,  in  the  proper  temporal 

Sense  of  the  Word,  is  blaspheming  God  ........  phe'mesThe 

Beneath  every  Sort  of  Faultiness  in  Man,  there  is  B^a°£ 

a  good  Quality  crushed  or   distorted  ;   a  good  Im-  ^7  1!!*13 

pulse  thrust  back,  misunderstood,  or  misled.     There-  dilution 

fore    the   only,    but   never-failing   way   to    abolish  d™ts011!;e1dor 

all    Faultiness,    all    human    Wickedness   and    De-  TO 


i   •  -r»    •  /•  -I  - 

pravity,  consists  in  taking  Pains,  first,  to  seek  and  iness,  then 

J  the  original 

find  the  original  good  Spring  or  side  of  Humanity,  g°°d  spring 
out   of   which  —  when    crushed,   perverted,    or   mis-  foui?d  :  then 

r  tended  and 

directed  —  the  Faultiness  grew  ;  and  next  to  nourish  nourished. 

and  tend,  strengthen,  and  lead  aright  that  original  The  fauiti- 

Spring  of  Good.     Thus  the  Faultiness  will  vanish  vanish— 

at   last  after   much  toilsome   Conflict,  indeed  ;  but  some 

r*        ft*  •   i  ••iTi-1-Tn-  i  •   i      conflict  with 

Conflict,   not  with   original  J^vil  in  Man,  but  with  ai  customs, 
Habit   and    Custom    [not    necessary,    however    in-  original  evii, 

in  man. 

veterate]. 

§  90.  Thus,  e.g.,  it  eannot  be  denied   that  there  We  see  too 
exists  in   the  School-  world,   to-day,    too   little   true  ^  feeling; 

'        .  that  is  rever- 

and  gentle  childlike  Feeling  ;  too  little  tender  and  ence  and 

sympathy. 

brotherly  Consideration  ;  too  little  genuine  religious  why? 
Feeling.     On  the  other  Hand,  there  is  far  too  much 


Selfishness  and  Unkindness,  especially  Rudeness  and  fostered,  in 

the  like.     The  Cause  of  all  this  lies  in  the  Fact  that  boy;  is  per- 

sympathetic  Feeling  has  not  been  wakened  in  Child  perish 

and  Boy  ;  and  yet  more  that  it  early  ceased  to  exist  children  and 

between  Parents  and   Children.     If,  then,  genuine  (^nviM 

Brotherliness,   real    Childlikeness,    trustful,    loving,  „"££,  reject 

pious    Feeling,    Consideration,    Pity,    Respect    for  g^^niyby 

Playmate    and   Fellow-man,    is  to   become  general,  from'the* 

this  can  be  brought  about  only  by  taking  hold  of,  Jo^o?  th 
and  most  sedulously  cherishing,  from  the  first,  the 


64  THE  STUDENT'S  FROEBEL. 

which  is        sympathetic  Feeling  which  resides  more  or  less  in 

never  wholly 

wanting.  every  human  Creature.  When  that  has  been  done, 
we  shall  soon  again  possess,  in  Family  and  religious 
Life,  what  we  now  so  painfully  miss  [that  is, 
genuine,  natural,  childlike  character]. 

Thoughtless.  §  91.  Another  Source  of  boyish  Faults  is  Precipi- 
chfeVspurce  tation,  Carelessness,  Levity — in  one  word,  Thought- 
faui°J.ls  lessness.  This  often  means  acting  from  an  Impulse, 
irnpuhe1"5  in  itself  harmless,  even  praiseworthy,  which  captures 
hold"  the  a11  the  B°y's  Activity  of  Senses  and  Body.  Then 
hasnoathe  Experience  has  not  yeb  provided  him  with  a  Know- 
beyond'it.  ledge  of  Consequences  in  the  particular  Case ;  and 
Experience  it  never  enters  his  Head  to  consider  what  these  may 

only  can  • 

cure  this        be  !     Thus  a  Boy,  by  no  Means  a  bad  one,  powdered 

fault.  •         • 

F.-sex-  the  Wig  of  an  Uncle  whom  he  was  very  fond  of  with 
n™§oeubt,re>  Plaster-of-Paris ;  taking  the  greatest  Delight  in  his 
graphic^  Work,  without  the  smallest  Idea  of  doing  anything 

blameworthy Another  Boy  found  some  deep, 

round,  china  Basins  in  a  large  Water-vessel,  and 
observed  that  these  Basins,  when  they  fell  open-side 
downwards  on  the  smooth,  still  Water,  made  a  sharp 
Sound.  This  Experiment  gave  him  Pleasure,  and 
he  tried  it  repeatedly,  saying  to  himself  that  the 
Basin  would  not  get  broken  in  deep,  yielding  Water. 
....  Once,  however,  he  let  the  Basin  fall  from  so 
great  a  Height,  and  so  plumb  upon  the  flat  Surface, 
that  the  Air  inclosed  within  the  Vessel  could  not 
escape,  and  the  Basin  split  into  two  almost  exactly 
equal  Halves ;  and  the  young  self-instructing  Natu- 
ral-philosopher stood  astonished  and  pained  by  this 
unexpected  Catastrophe.  In  many  other  Ways,  the 
Boy  seems  incredibly  shortsighted  in  following  his 
Life-impulse.  A  Boy  throws  Stones,  perseveringly, 


THE  BOY.  65 

at  a  small  Window  in  a  neighboring  House,  mean-    . 
ing  to  hit  it,  yet  never  dreaming,  still  less  saying 
to  himself,  that  if  the  Stone  strikes   the  Window 
the   Glass   will   be   broken.      The   Stone   hits,   the 
Glass  shatters,    and  the   Boy  stands  rooted  to  the 

Spot 

§  92.  It  is  certainly  a  very  deep  Truth,  the  Neg-  A  terrible 
lect  of  which  is  Day  by  Day  severely  punished,  that  *e  parent 

or  educator 

it  is  mostly  Man — another  Person,  often  the  Educator  first  n>akes 

J  '  .  the  boy 

himself — who  first  makes  Man — the  Child  or  Boy —  wicked, 

y  ,  J  and  this 

bad.     This  happens  when  People  ascribe  to  a  wrong  sole!y  bv 

r  3    ascribing 

or  evil  Motive  what  the  Child  does  through  Ignorance  te0vit1h™°tlhvjj! 
or  Want  of  Thought ;  even  what  may  have  resulted  less  ac»°n. 

from  a  very  acute  Sense  of  Right  and  Wrong 

There  are,  alas!    even  among  Educators,  unhappy 
Beings  who  see  in  Conduct  of  Children  and  Boys 
the  Work  of  cunning  and  malicious  Imps,  where  adventure— 
others  see  at  most  a  Joke  pushed  too  far,  or  Merri-  chifd  ase 
ment  not  quite  in  Order.     Such  Birds  of  ill  Omen,  intention, 
being  Teachers,  make  the,  Child  guilty  ;  when,  if  not  unc^nldoul 
perfectly  blameless,  It  is  yet  free  from  conscious  xheyuke 
Guilt;    they  do   this  by  ascribing  to   It   Feelings,  {J^S* 
Actions,   of    which   but  for  them  it  would  know 

nothing.  .  .^ 

Such  birds  of  darkness,  F.  says,  take  the  boy's 
innocent  life  out  of  him ;  and  having  given  him 
consciousness  of  sin,  as  the  only  way  to  Heaven, 
tell  him  that  God  will  make  it  good.  And  this 
they  call  making  him  pious. 

They  are  like  the  good-natured  little  Boy  who  said, 
"  See  how  tame  it  is ! "  when  he  had  handled  the 
poor  Fly  or  Beetle  till  it  could  not  stir.  Thus  there 
are  Children  —very  faulty  in  Conduct  through  not 

B 


66  THE  STUDENT'S  FEOEBEL. 

Thoughtless  seeing  or  heeding  Matters  of  real  Life,  some  of  which 

mischief  they  cannot  know,  while  they  surrender  themselves 

longing  wholly  to  their  Impulses — who  have  yet  the  most 

good  and  longing  inner  Desire  to  grow  up  good  and  useful. 

useful;  and      , 

are  finally      buch  Boys,  too  otten  become  really  bad;  just  because 

being  mis       at  first  their  inward  Endeavor  failed  to  be  under- 
understood.  •.•131  -I  -I  1M111 

stood,  was  indeed  misunderstood  ;    while,  had  they 

been  appreciated  at  the  right  Moment,  they  would 

have  become  one  Day  most  valuable  Men.      Yes; 

Beware,        Parent,  Teachers,  Adults,  very  often  punish  Chil- 

teachers,  of  '  ,          . 

punishing      dren    and   Boys  for   Faults    and    Sins   which    they 

children  for  * 

sins  you        taught   them.       Punishment,    especially,    above    all 

taught  them!  " 

Things,     Scolding,     puts     Faults     into     Children  ; 
brings    to   their    Knowledge   Sins   of    which   they 

never  dreamed 

(ipsedixit,        &  93.  As  already  indicated,  a  Guessing  and  Loner- 

if  we  will;  3  J  '  6  6 

but  deserv-     jng5  a  deep  significant  Feeling  in  the  Boy's  Mind  at 

thmiesht        *kis  Period,  pervades  Everything  that  he  does.     All 

his  Doing  has  a  social  Character ;  for   he  tries  to 

.  find  the  Unity  which  makes  all  Things  and  Beings 

one,     and    to    find    himself    in    and     among    all 

Things.  . 

A  Boy  of  this  Age,  naturally  brought-up,  is  seek- 
ing— however  weak  and  unconscious  the  Indications 
may  be — is  seeking  the  Unity  which  makes  all 
Things  one,  the  necessary  living  Unity — the  Founda- 
tion of  all  Things— God.  This  is  what  he  seeks; 
not  the  Cause  made  and  shaped  by  human  Wisdom 
and  human  Wit,  but  that  one  which  is  ever  nigh  to 
Heart  and  Mind,  nigh  to  the  living  Spirit  within  ; 
which  therefore  can  only  be  known  in  Spirit  and 
in  Truth,  and  only  thus  be  prayed  to.  The  Boy, 
when  matured,  finds  no  Contentment  unless  he  has 


THE  BOY.  67 

found  Him  who  was  felt  after,  in  vague  Yearnings 
aod  Seekings;  for  only  thus  has  he  found  him- 
self. 

This  is  the  free-acting  inner  and  outer  Life  of 
Man,  the  Boy — on  the  Scholar-stage,  as  School-boy. 
What,  then,  is  School  I 


IV.-Scbool 


The  Child 
entering 
school,  be- 
gins to  rise 
from  the 
outward 
sensuous 
view  of 
things,  to 
the  inward 
spiritual 
view. 


School  is 
such,  not 
in  virtue  of 
the  variety 
of  subjects 
taught 
there ;  but  of 
its  intellec- 
tual atmos- 
pliere.j 


A. — PRELIMINAKY. 

§  94.  "  School "  is  the  Endeavor  to  bring  to  the 
Pupil's  Knowledge  and  Consciousness  the  Being  or 
inner  Life  of  Objects  and  of  himself;  the  intimate 
Relations  of  Objects,  one  with  another ;  with  Man 
the  Boy  himself;  and  with  the  living  Basis  and  con- 
scious Unity  of  all  Things,  God 

The  Boy,  when  he  enters  School,  leaves  behind  the 
merely  outward  View  of  Objects,  and  enters  upon  a 
higher  intellectual  View.  This  Stepping  of  the 
Child  from  an  outward  superficial  View  of  Things  to 
the  inward  View  which  leads  to  Knowledge,  In- 
sight, and  Consciousness ;  from  the  Home-order 
into  the  higher  World-order ;  makes  the  Boy  into  a 
Scholar,  constitutes  School.  School  is  not  truly 
such  by  being  an  Establishment  for  the  Acquisition 
of  a  greater  or  lesser  Quantity  of  Varieties,  that  is 
Externalities  ;  but  by  Virtue  of  the  living  intellectual 
Atmosphere  which  animates  the  whole,  and  in  which 
all  Things  move 

The  Faith  and  Trust,  the  Hope  and  Presentiment, 
with  which  the  Child  enters  School  work  Wonders. 
For  It  comes  with  childlike  Faith,  and  quiet  Hope ; 


SCHOOL.  69 

with  a  dim  Presentiment:   "Here  thou  wilt  learn  Boy's  Pre- 

•11  i  -i       sentiment  of 

what  cannot  be  taught  thee  outside ;  here  thou   wilt  school : 
get   Food   for  thy  Mind  and   Soul,   while   outside 
there  is  only  Food  for  the  Body  ;  here  " — it  is  literally 
so   in  the   Child's  Hope    and    Anticipation— u  are 
Food    and      Drink    which    quench    Hunger     and 

Thirst." 

§  95.  Let  not  the  Wilfulness.  the  Love  of  Mis-  not  contra- 

3  '  dieted  by 

chief,  which  boys  show  at  School,  be  put  forward  in  wiifuiness  of 

.      .  *  schoolboys. 

Contradiction  of  the  above.  Through  the  very 
Effect  of  School,  through  that  Growth  of  inward 
Force  which  is  the  Aim  and  Purpose  of  School,  a 
Boy  feels  himself  freer,  and  moves  more  freely.  A  School-child 

J  '  .  should  be 

genuine  Schoolboy  ought  not  to  be  listless  or  lazy,  |resb>  fujj  °[ 
but  fresh  and  lively,  vigorous  in  Soul  and  Body ;  and  down-in-the 
thus,  when  following  his  Instinct,  too  far,  so  as  even 
to  become  [what  elders  call]  mischievous,  the  School- 
boy   scarcely    thinks    of    any    Harm    ensuing    to  Mischief  is 

Others permitted,  or 

excused ; 

F.  does  not  mean  that  schoolboy,  or  schoolgirl  but.  exPeri- 

•  ence  cannot 

Mischief  is  to  be  submitted  to  as  inevitable,  or  b«  dispensed 

with;  so, 

condoned  as  blameless.     His    plea   is    simply,  authority 

r  J  '    must  act 

"  Grey  heads  do  not  grow  on  green  shoulders ;  "  sently- 
experience  cannot  be  forestalled :  therefore,  bad 
intent  is  not  to  be  absolutely  inferred  from  ill 
effect.  Authority,  even  in  needful  resistance  or 
punishment,  must  act  considerately,  tenderly ; 
else  injustice  is  done,  whence  lasting  harm  will 
result  to  temper  and  character. 

B. — SUBJECTS  OF  TEACHING. 

§  96.  What  then  is  the  School  to  teach?     In  The  boy  is 
what  is  Man,  the  Boy,  to  be  instructed  ?  .  .  .  .  Man,  outer-world 


70  THE  STUDENT'S  FKOEBEL. 

of  two          as  Boy  at  the  Beginning  of  the  School-age,  perceives 
as  product     his  own  spiritual  Nature,  guesses  at  God,  and  the 

of  human  .    .         ,    ^T  -      ...    rr.^  .  _       ,  __. 

force;  and  as  spiritual  JNature  of  all  Things,  and  shows  an  Ln- 
the  power  deavor  to  clear  his  Perception,  and  to  confirm  his 

that  works  .  . 

within.  Cruess  ....  Man  at  the  Boy-stage  is  met  by  the 
Outer-world,  wearing  a  twofold  Expression ;  first,  as 
conditioned  and  produced  by  human  Will  and  human 
Force ;  secondly,  as  conditioned  and  produced  by  the 
Force  operating  within  Nature. 

Man,  as  boy,  is  already  conscious  of  two  worlds ; 
the  outer-world  of  body  and  form — nature ;  and 
the  world  within  himself, — the  soul,  i.e.,  his 
intellect  and  heart.  Language,  belonging  at 
first  to  both,  mediates  between  these  worlds ; 
first  to  distinguish  ;  then  to  re-unite. 

School  is  to  §  97.  Through  Language,  the  School — Instruction — 
boy  fo  a°  should  lead  the  Boy  to  a  threefold  Knowledge,  which 
threefold  '  again  is  one :  (1)  to  the  knowledge  of  himself  in  all 
of  himself  Circumstances,  and  thus  to  a  Knowledge  of  Man  in 
God ;  of  general,  in  his  Being  and  Relations  ;  (2)  to  the  Know- 
to  conduct  ledge  of  God,  the  constant  Condition,  the  eternal 

answering 

thereto :        Foundation  and  Source  of  all  Being  :  and  (3)  to  the 

from  im-  v    J 

pulse  to  self-  Ktwwledqe  of  Nature — the  material  World,  as  issuing 

determma-  a       •* 

tion  from      from,  and  conditioned  by,  the   eternally  Spiritual. 

activity  to  •  '  J        r 

peise-          Instruction,  i.e..  School,  is  to  lead  Man  to  a  Life  and 

verance. 

This  is  the  Conduct,  in  complete  Accord  with  that  threefold,  yet 
earthiy'pVr"  single,  Knowledge.  Man — as  Boy — is  to  be  led  by 
School,  in  the  Way  of  that  Knowledge  threefold  yet 
one,  from  Inclination  to  Choice,  from  Activity  of 
Will  to  Perseverance,  thus  steadily  onward  till  he 
reach  his  Destination,  his  Calling,  and  attain  to 
earthly  Perfection. 


SCHOOL.  71 


I.—  INSTRUCTION    IN   RELIGION. 

§  98.  The  Effort  to  lift  into  clear  Sight  our  Pre-  Religion  is 
sentiment  that  our  Soul,  the  human  Spirit,  is  in  its  deavor  to 
Origin  one  with  God  ;  the   Effort,  founded  on  this  ever  hold 
Sight,  to  be,  and  live,  in  Union  with  God,   undis-  with  God. 
turbed  in  every  Lot,  unweakened  by  any  Event  of 
Existence  ;  this  is  Religion.     Religion  is  not  Some- 
thing fixed,  but  an  eternally  advancing  Endeavor, 
and  therefore  Something  eternally  subsisting. 

Religious  Instruction  aims  to  animate,  strengthen,  Contents  of 
and  clear,  our  Perceptions  of  a  spiritual  Self  —  our 
Soul,  Intellect,  and  Heart  —  as  resting  in,  and  pro- 
ceeding from,  God  ;  to  make  known  the  Faculties 
of  Soul,  Intellect,  and  Heart  as  depending  on  God  ; 
to  show  God's  necessary  Being  and  Operation  ;  to 
exhibit  the  Relation  of  God  to  Man,  as  it  announces 
itself  in  each  one's  own  Heart  and  Life,  and  in  all 
Existence  ;  notably  in  the  Life  and  History  "of  Man- 
kind, as  the  Sacred  Books  declare  it  to  us.  Religious  Religious 
Instruction  applies  this  Knowledge  to  all  Life  ;  and  applies  the 

•    n  -,     ,  i  »  T  •/.  T  Knowledge 

specially,  in  and  to  each  ones  own  Life;  applies  it  of  God  and 
to  the  Development  and  Improvement  of  Mankind,  life,  to  'the 

.  improve 

to  show  the  Divine    in  the  Human  ;  and  specially  ment  of 

_.  .  .         Humanity: 

to  the  Knowing  and  Doing  of  Man  s  Duty,  that  is,  to  the  know- 

ing and 
what,  being  Man,  he  must  care  for  ;  and  finally,  to  domg  of 

.  .        man's  essen- 

exhibit  Ways  of  satisfying  this  Endeavor  to  live  in   tial  duty  : 

*  ^o  to  ways  and 

Union  with  God  :  aud  Means  of  restoring  this  Union  means  of  , 

getting,  anil 

when  disturbed.  restoring, 

union  with 

§  99.  Religious  Instruction  therefore,  always  pre-  God- 
supposes  some  degree  of  Religious  Feeling,  however  Religious 
weak,  however  unconscious.      Instruction  can  only  someuegiee, 


instruction. 


72          THE  STUDENT'S  FROEBEL. 

be  fruitful,  —  touching  and  workiner-on  the  Life,  —  in 

. 

TO  a  human    so  *'dr>   as  a  real>   however  slight  and  rudimentary, 

being  wholly    ^^  Q£    Religion    ig    ready    for    it        Were  it    possible 

reiigwnTno    fc>r  a  Hu  man-being  to  exist  wholly  without  religious 

could  give      Sensibility,  no  Means  could  give  it.     Parents  who 

permit  their  Children  to  grow  up  to  School-age 

without  any  Endeavor  to  nourish  religious  Feel- 

ing would  do  well  to  think  on  this  ......... 

It  is  and  for  ever  will  be  true  ;  the  Divinely 
human  is  mirrored  in  purely  human  Relations,  espe- 
cially in  the  parental  and  spiritual;  and  in  those 
pure  Relations  of  Man  to  Man  we  recognize  God's 
Relation  to  Man,  and  Man's  Relation  to  God  :  we 
attain  to  the  Sight  of  them. 

The  ensuing  section,  on  the  Religion  of  Jesus, 
is  given  with  the  cornpletest  exactness  which 
this  Editor  finds  possible.  It  is  a  confession  of 
faith,  made  in  the  zenith  of  his  powers  by  the 
teacher,  whose  dying  words,  some  thirty  years 
later,  were  ;  "  I  am  a  Christian  man." 

TheReii-  §100.  When  the  Human-being  knows,  consciously 
Christ  and  clearly,  that  his  spiritual  Self  came  forth  from 
to  Froebeij.  God,  was  born  in  and  from  God,  was  originally  one 
with  God  ;  knows  that  he  is  in  constant  Dependence 
on  God,  and  in  uninterrupted  Communion  with  God  ; 
when  in  this  eternally  necessary  Dependence  of  his 
Self  on  God  —  in  the  Clearness  of  his  Recognition  of 
it,  and  in  the  Steadiness  and  Zeal  wherewith  he  acts 
on  this  Knowledge  —  his  Conduct  grows  to  be  in 
complete  Unison  with  this  Knowledge  and  Con- 
viction ;  when  he  knows  his  Salvation,  his  Peace, 
his  Joy,  his  Destiny,  his  Life,  to  be  in  this  [con- 
scious dependence  and  communion],  when,  in  true 


SCHOOL.  73 

and  thoroughly  human  Language,  he  knows  God  to 
be  his  Father,  himself  to  be  a  Child  of  God,  and  lives 
in  Accordance  with  this  Knowledge;  this  is  the 

Christian  Religion,  the   Religion   of  Jesus The  key  to 

Therefore,   the   only   Key   to  the    Knowledge    and  man'TcTcod 
Experience  of  divinely  human  Relations — the  Rela-  jookedlfcr 
tion  of  God  to  Man,  of  Man  to  God — is  Understand-  toman ni» 
ing  of  spiritually  human,  true  fatherly  and  childlike  child  and 
Relations.     Only  in  so  far  as  we  enter  into  purely 
spiritual,  intimately  human,  Relations,  and  live  in 
Accordance  with  them  to  the  smallest  Detail,  shall 
we  attain  to  complete  Knowledge  of  divinely  human 
Relations,  and  feel  them  so  deeply  and  vividly  that 
every  Longing  of  our  Being  will  be  satisfied,  at  least 
recognized,  ancWoecome,  instead  of  a  never-fulfilled 
Yearning,  a  self- rewarding  Endeavor.     We  do  not  Herein,  we 
yet  know,  we  do  not  even  guess,  what  is  yet  so  near  de\dent"1!y 
us ;  one  with  our  own  Life,  with  our  own  Self.     We  G^d™snfur 
do  not  even  live  up  to  our  own  Professions.     We  a^notmie 
profess  to  be  Sons  of  God,  and  are  not  yet   true  oaurown 
Children  of  our  own  Parents.     God  is  said  to  be  our  Le  noTtLt 
Father,  and  we  are  far  from  being  true  Fathers  of  nourishing 
our  own  Children ;  we  aim  to  see  the  Divine,  and  we  hum^  we 
leave  uncared  for  the  Human,  which  would  lead  us  the  Sfvine. 
to  it.  , 


H.— STUDY  OP  NATURE. 

§  101.  What  Religion  says  and  affirms,  that 
Nature  shows  and  presents ;  what  is  taught  by 
Meditation  upon  God,  is  confirmed  by  Nature  ;  what 
follows  from  the  Consideration  of  the  Inward  is  made 
known  by  the  Consideration  of  the  Outward ;  what 


74  THE  STUDENTS  FROEBEL. 

Religion  asks  for,  Nature  fulfils.  For  Nature,  and 
all  that  exists,  is  God's  Annunciation,  Revelation, 
of  Himself ;  whatever  is  has  its  Foundation  in  the 

Revelation  of  God Absolutely  Nothing  can 

come  to  Light,  but  bears  in  itself  Life  and  Spirit ; 
the  impress  of  that  Spirit  and  Life,  of  that  Essence, 
to  which  it  owes  its  Existence.  As  this  is  true  of 
Man's  Work,  from  the  highest  Artist  to  the  humblest 
Handworker;  from  the  most  commonplace  to  the 
loftiest  and  most  spiritual  human  Work,  from  the 
most  lasting  to  the  most  transitory  human  Activity ; 
so  is  it  true  of  the  Works  of  God — Nature,  the 

Creation,  everything  that  has  come  to  pass 

As  in  a  work  of  human  Art  there  dwells  no  material 
Part  of  the  human  Spirit  of  its  Artist,  yet  a  true 
Art- work  bears  in  it  the  whole  mind  of  the  Artist 
in  such  a  Sense,  that  the  Artist  lives  in  it,  speaks 
out  of  it,  so  as  to  inspire  others,  to  awaken,  animate, 
develop,  form,  his  Spirit  in  them :  as  the  human 
Spirit  is  related  to  the  Work  which  it  produces,  so 
God's  Spirit  is  related  to  Nature,  and  all  that  exists. 
God's  Spirit  rests  in  Nature,  lives  and  works  in 
Nature,  expresses  itself  in  Nature,  communicates 
itself  by  Nature;  yet  Nature  is  not  the  Body  of 

God 

Nature  is          §  102.  As  Nature  is  not  God's  Body,  so  neither 

body ;  or      does  God  dwell  in  Nature  as  in  a  House ;  but  God's 

Spirit  lives  in  Nature,  bearing,  shielding,  unfolding. 

Does  not  the  Artist's  Mind,  though  but  human,  dwell 

AS  the  spirit  in  his  Work — shielding  and  watching  over  it  ?    Does 

human  artist  not  the  Artist's  Mind  give  an  earthly  Immortality  to 

work ;  so,      a  Block  of  Marble,  or  a  frail  Piece  of  Linen  ;  even 

God's  spirit  . 

in  Nature,     to  winged  Words  which  perish  almost  as  soon  as 


SCHOOL.  75 

born,  or  to  any  other  Material,  according  as  he  is  an  Man,  less 

Artist  in  Forms  or  in  Words  ?     We  take  pains  to  does  w^ii  to 

learn  the  Spirit,  Life  and  Aim  of  human  Works ;  we  works  of 

study  human   Works,  and   we   do  well.     The  less  fan** 
developed  Man  is  to  grow  by  studying  the  Development 

of  maturer  Human-beings:  how  much  more  should  HOW  much 

we  exert  ourselves  to  know  God's  Work — Nature :  to  we  study" 

make  ourselves  acquainted  with  Objects  of  Nature,  fromcai 
in  their  Life,  according  to  their  Meaning,  that  is 

according  to  the  Spirit  of  God.     Moreover,  we  should  Best  works 

of  Man  are 

feel   ourselves   drawn  to   Mature,   because   genuine  not  always 

within  our 

Works  of  Art,  Works  of  Man  out  of  which  Man's  re*<&  •  but 

;  Nature  is 

pnre   Spirit,  God's    Spirit,  speaks   purely,  are   not  aiwaysnear 
always  and  everywhere  within  reach,  whereas  Man  everywhere, 
is  everywhere  surrounded  by  pure  Works  of  God  ; 
by  Works  of  Nature  out  of  which  the  pure  Spirit  of 

God  speaks 

§  103.  Therefore  the  Human-being,  and  specially  From  boy- 
in  Boyhood,  should  be  made  intimately  acquainted  shoufa  be 

.   -      _T  .  T->         •       i  -n   •  brought  near 

with  Nature;  not  in  her  Particulars,  the  Jorms  of  to  the  spirit 
her  Phenomena  only,  but  in  the  Spirit  of  God  as  it  The  boy  will 
lives  and  moves  in  Nature.    The  Boy  feels  this  deeply,  occupation 
and  desires  it ;  therefore  Nothing  so  binds  together  h^ommonT' 
Educator  and  Pupils,  whose  Feelings  are  unspoiled,  endears1'1 
as  their  being  occupied  in  common   with  Nature,  pTpu.6" 
with  natural  Obiects.    This  Parents  as  well  as  School-  Teachers 

J  should  take 

teachers  should  look  to.     At   least   once  a  Week,  theirschoiars 

'    weekly  to 

Teachers  should  go  out,  with  each  Division  of  their  *ra.1.k  in  'j16 

fields  and 

School,  into  the  Country  ;  not,  as  may  be   sometimes  Ianes- 
seen,  driving  them  like  a  Flock  of  Sheep,  nor  leading 
them  like  a  Company  of  Soldiers ;    but  going  with 
them  like   a  Father  among  his  Sons,  or  a  Brother 
with   his  Brothers;  bringing  closer  to   their  -Sight 


76  THE  STUDENT'S  FROEBEL. 

and  Attention  whatever  of  Nature  the  Season  pre- 
sents. 

village  §  104.  School-masters  who  live  in  a  Village,  or  in 

ters  should     the  Country,  should  not  reply:  "My  School-children 

not  answer  :  .  .... 

"  My  pupils   are  all  Day  long  in  the  open  Air,  and  run  about  in  it 

are  always  J  o  » 

in  the    '       whether   I    help   them,    or   not.       True !    they  run 

country.  A 

Not  children  about,  but  they  do  not  live  in  the  open  Air,  they  do 

ofteyn,aknUow    not  live  with  Nature.     Not  Children  and  Boys  only, 

Natureethan  but  many  Adults  know  no  more  about  Nature  than 

airVhey        ordinary  People   do   about    the   Air  they  live    in. 

That  is,  they  scarcely  know  it  as  a  real  Thing  ;  still 

less  do  they  know  the  Qualities  which  render  Air 

adults— who  indispensable  to  the  Preservation  of  bodily  Life.     In 

country  may  common  Parlance,  Air  means  either  a  Draught,  or 

feel  next  to    a  Temperature.     In  like  Manner,  Children  and  Boys 

nothing  of  •  it  •  • 

Nature's       who  are  continually  running  about  in  the  open  Air, 

beauty  and 

workings,      may  yet  see,  guess,  and  feel,  Nothing  of  Nature's 

Beauties  and  their  Operation  on  the  human  Mind. 

Just  as  happens  to    those   who   have  grown  up  in 
•     very  beautiful  Scenery;  they  often  feel  Nothing  of 

its  Beauty  and  Influence  [till  some  stranger,  perhaps, 

points  them  out]. 

Maybe— the  §  105.  But — and  this  is  most  important — it  may 
guesses5  °'  chance  that  the  Boy,  with  his  own  inward  spiritual 
Nature's80  Sight,  does  behold,  or  guess,  somewhat  of  the  Life 
he  meet'  of  Nature  around  him.  If,  then,  he  meets  with  no 

withnosym-  . 

pathyor        Sympathy    from    grown-up  People   near   him,  that 

ciousseed      Seed  of  Life,  just  as  it  springs  up,  is  shut  in,  sup- 

life  may        pressed.     The  Boy  asks  from  the  Adult  Confirmation 

[or  correction]  of  his  own  inward  Perceptions :  and 

he  has  a  right  to  do    so,  from  a    Feeling  of  what 

Hence  it  is     his  Elders  should  be ;  from  Respect  for  them.  When 

fider  and      he  gets  no  Response,  the  Effect  is  twofold  :  he  loses 


SCHOOL.  7, 

Respect  for   his  Elders ;    and  his  original    inward  younger  to 

walk 

Feeling  and  Perception  die  away.     Hence  the  Value  together,  in 

f»     ~r\  -i*ii  11   •  i  •  common 

of  Boy   and  Adult  walking  together,    %n  common  effort  to 
Endwvor  to  take-in  the  Spirit  and  Life  of  Nature,  spirit  of 

.  Nature. 

and  to  let  it  act  upon  them.  Thus,  too,  much  aim- 
less Running-about  of  Boys  [that  is  neither  play, 
nor  work — "  Loafing"] — would  come  to  an  End. 


Ill — STUDY  OF  FOBMS. 

§  106.  Thus  the  Being  and  Operation  of  Nature  Nature 
as  a  Whole  ;  Nature,  as  an  Image  of  God ;  as  the  inner  con- 

••  '  i-  i        teraplation 

Word   of   God,   communicating   and    wakening  the  as  one: 

to  the  outer 

Spirit  of  God  as  a  whole ;  thus  Nature  meets,  and  observation, 

.  .  of  the  senses, 

has  always  met,  Man  s  inward  Contemplation.    But  she  appears 

"  an  infinity  of 

to  outward  Contemplation  she  offers  herself  other-  particulars, 

without 

wise.  To  the  Senses  she  appears  to  be  a  Multiplicity  obvious 
of  Particulars,  differing  one  from  another,  without 
clear,  intimate,  living  Connexion ;  Items,  Details, 
of  which  each  has  its  own  Form,  each  its  proper 
Course  of  Development,  its  peculiar  Destiny  and 
Purpose.  To  the  outward  Observation  there  is  no 
Proof  that  all  these  externally  separate  Details  are 
originally  connected  Members  of  a  great  living 
Organism ;  a  Whole  intimately  and  spiritually 
united  :  that  Nature  herself  is  such  a  Whole. 

S  107.  This  outside  view  of  Nature,  resting  upon  Nature, 

looked  at 

individual  PI  enomena — natural  Obiects   looked  on  from  the  out- 

.  side,  shows 

as  distinct  and  separate — is  like  looking  at  a  Tree,  endless 

.  .  particulars 

or  any  much-divided  [flowering!  Plant.     Each  Leaf  w«hout 

J  L  OJ  apparent 

seems    distinct  from  every  other;  from  Branch  to  connexion. 
Branch — within  the  Blossom  from  Calyx  to  Corolla,  Seen  by  the 
from  these  to  Stamens  and  Pistil, — no  Bridge,  no  showsus 


t8  THE  STUDENT'S  FROEBEL. 

ueep-iying  connecting  Link,  is  seen.  But,  when  we  look  with 
the  Mind's  Eye,  seeking  and  finding  Connexions  for 
the  most  obvious  Particulars  [as  of  pistils,  stamens, 
petals  and  cup-leaves  in  one  flower]  ;  then,  from  one 
Link  to  another  [as  of  all  blossoms,  leaves,  branches 
in  one  stem] :  at  last  we  discern  the  Unity  of  an 

inner  Law  working  at  the  Heart  of  the  Plant 

The  Multiplicity  of  Nature  leads  the  thinking  Mind 
to  recognize  [in  all  things,  as  in  the  plant]  a 
deep-lying  Law 

Force  and          §  108.  Himself  holding  this  law  to  be  the  exertion 

matter  are  .  .    . 

the  ultimate  oi  power,  by  a  conscious,  eternal  Spirit — Grod 

ground  of 

phenomena;  — but  as  though  accommodating  himself  to  the 

and  they  3 

cannot  be  difficulties  that  the  last  half  century  of  science 

thought  of  as  " 

separate.  nas    not   brought   forth    but   nourished — F.  is 

content  to  pronounce,  that 

Force,  when  appearing  [acting,  making  itself  mani- 
fest] is  the  ultimate  Ground  of  all  things,  of  every 
Phenomena  in  Nature.  [F.  admits,  too,  that]  besides 
Force  there  is  a  second  necessary  condition  of  Form 
and  Substance ;  viz.  Stuff — 

matter :  and  he  goes  on  to  assert,  as  with  pro- 
phetic view  of  latest  scientific  ideas : 
All  Individuality  and  Multiplicity  of  Forms  belong- 
ing to  Nature  on  this  Earth,  show  that  Matter  and 
Force  constitute  an  indivisible  Unity.  Matter,  and 
spontaneous  Force,  acting  from  one  Point  equally  in 
all  Directions,  imply  one  another  ;  neither  exists,  or 
can  subsist,  without  the  other;  strictly  speaking, 
neither  can  be  thought  of  without  the  other. 

§  109.  The  above  may  be  taken  as  a  specimen  of 
F.'s  hausbackene  Philosopkie,  or  "  home-spun 
science."  It  leaves  much  to  be  desired,  no  doubt, 


SCHOOL.  79 

in  depth  and  completeness.  But  as  F.  lived  and 
wrote  in  the  twilight  that  preceded  the  rise  of 
C.  Darwin ;  before,  therefore,  the  great  word 
"  evolution "  was  employed  by  sciolists,  as 
Sesame  by  the  Forty  Thieves,  to  open  closed 
doors  and  explain  the  inespli3ible;  his  defects 
may  be  excused.  As  a  work  ng  hypothesis  or 
formula,  not  yet  absolutely  done  with,  his 
theory  of  Force  and  Matter  may  be  allowed  to 
stand.  The  same  lenient,  if  not  too-respectful, 
sentence  can  hardly  be  pronounced  to-day  upon 
the  lengthy  'and  minute  developments  which 
make  up  F.'s  "  Study  of  Forms"  (Formenkunde), 
the  third  subject  of  instruction  at  school.  From 
the  Ball,  or  Sphere,  which  F.  assumes  to  be 
"  universally  the  first,  and  just  so  the  last, 
natural  form,"  F.  follows  the  working  of 
Matter  and  Force  as  one,  through  a  wide  variety 
of  crystalline  forms,  and  seems  without  conscious 
difficulty  to  step  across  that  chasm  between  the 
realms  of  the  inorganic  and  the  organic,  as  also 
over  that  dividing  inanimate  from  animated 
beings,  before  which  Science  still  halts.  "  The 
results  of  these  efforts,"  says  Mr.  Hailmann(in  a 
note,  p.  173,  of  his  translation  of  the  Menschen- 
erzichung},  "  are  not  accepted  by  the  mineralo- 
gical  science  of  the  day."  Whether  or  not,  F.'s 
pages  on  the  growth  of  crystals  contain  fore- 
gleams  of  truth  to  come,  they  will  afford  to  the 
(proposed)  Second  Part  of  this  little  Book — 
"Methodic" — rich  materials  for  working  out 
the  forms  of  solid  figures.  F.'s  saying:  "In 
the  whole  process  of  the  development  of 


80  THE  STUDENT'S  FROEBEL. 

crystalline  form,  as  it  appears  in  natural 
objects,  there  is  a  most  remarkable  agreement 
with  the  development  of  the  human  mind  and 
heart,"  may  be  prophetic,  or  it  may  illustrate 
the  ease  with  which  rare  as  well  as  ordinary 
intellects  accept  analogy  in  the  light  of  proof. 
In  any  case,  as  honest  teachers,  we  must  wait 
until  that  near  or  distant  day  when  they  who 
know  shall  be  agreed  upon  the  scientific  facts, 
before  we  use  them  with  our  pupils  as  bases  of 
spiritual  culture. 

Let  parents  §  110.  Let  Father  and  Son,  Tutor  and  Pupil, 
waikwith.ers  Teacher  and  Scholar,  move  together  in  the  great 
dren.in  Natural- whole.  Do  not  reply — Father,  Teacher — 
they  know  u  Of  that  I  my  self  as  yet  know  nothing."  It  is  not 
observe :  a  Question  of  imparting  Knowledge  already  gained, 
juniors  w  but  of  calling-forth  new  fin  which  elder  and 

observe.  °  L 

younger  alike  share].      "  You,  Teachers,  must  ob- 
serve ;    lead  your  Juniors  to  observe ;  and  bring 
what  is  observed  to  your  own  and  to  their  Con- 
sciousness." 
Things  In  order  to  perceive  the  all-pervading  Reign  of 

always,  first :  .  . 

then  name*.  Law  in  Nature,  her  Unity,  technical  Terms  are  not 
needed,  either  for  natural  Objects  or  the  Qualities 
of  such ;  but  simple,  clear,  firm  Perception  of  these 
Objects  and  Qualities  is  needed,  with  distinct  Names 

for  them  [however  homely] 

Qualities  The  Matter  is  to  introduce  the  Boy  to  the  Objects 

perticsare     themselves :    that  he  may  learn  the  Qualities  which 

to  be  learnt, 

by  observa-  they  put  forth  and  express ;  that  he  may  know  the 
Object  to  be  that  identical  Thing  which,  in  its  Form 

and  so  forth,  it  declares  itself  to  be The  one 

Thing  needful  is  clear  Sight,  and  Recognition  [of  the 


SCHOOL.  81 

thing  itself].     Give  the  Object  its  local  Name ;  or  Give  the 

i  i  -VT  i  i  local  name ; 

it  you  know  none,  then  any  JName  that  occurs  ;  best  ora  descnp- 

T  •  -XT  11  i  live  name; 

of  all.    a  descriptive    JName,    even    though    rather  by-and-by 

.,  ,  ,    the  accepted 

long,  until  by-and-by  you  come  upon  the  accepted  name  is 
Name 

§111.  Do  not  say,  country  Schoolmaster!  "I 
know  nothing  of  natural  Objects ;  I  do  not  even 
know  their  Names."  By  faithful  Observation  of 
Nature,  you  can  acquire  for  yourself,  however  humble 
has  been  your  Education,  far  higher  and  more 
thorough  outward  and  inward  Knowledge,  more 
vivid  Acquaintance  with  the  Particular  and  the  Mani-  / 
fold,  than  any  Books  at  all  within  your  Means  could 

teach    you Moreover,  the   so-called   higher  The  higher 

Knowledge  usually  rests  on  Phenomena  and  Percep-  rests  on  ge 
tions  which  the  simplest  Person  is  able  to  make ;  withuTrach 
ay,  on  Observations  which,  if  we  have  but  Eyes  to 
see,  we  can  make  with  little  or  no  Expense,  more 
beautifully  than  by  the  most  costly  Experiment !   The 
country  Teacher  must  bring  himself  to  this  by  perse- 
vering Observation;  he  must,  specially,  let  himself 
be  led  to  it  by  the  World  of  Youth,  by  the  Boys  he 
has  about  him. 

§  112.  Father,  Mother,  be  not  afraid:  do  not  say,  if  you  know 
"I  mvself  know  nothing  :  how  can  I  teach  my  child?  "  follow  your 

*  ,  J  children  ! 

That  you  know  nothing,  may  well  be ;  that  is  not  They  come 
the  greatest  111,  if  only  you  are  willing  to  learn :  if  parents  for 
vou  know  nothing,  do  as  the  Child  does :  go  to  Father  you  to 

J  9*  °  Mother 

and  Mother ;  be  a  Child  with  your  Child,  a  Scholar  Nature,  and 

'  *  God  s  spirit 

with  your  Scholar;    and  with  him  let  yourself   be  in  Nature, 
taught  by  Mother  Nature,  and  by  the  Father,  God's 
spirit  in  Nature :  God's  Spirit  and  Nature  herself  will 
lead  and  teach  you,  if  you  will  let  yourself  be  taught. 


82  THE  STUDENT'S  FROEBEL. 

Say  not,  "I  have  not  studied;  I  have  not  learned." 
Who  taught  the  first  ?     Go  like  him  to  the  Fountain- 
head  !     One  great  Aim  of  the  University  indeed  is, 
to  give  Sight,  to  open  the  inward  Eye,  for  what  is 
whenchii-     within  and  without;  but  it  would  be  sad  for  the 
taught  etriy    Race  of  Man  if  none  could  see  but  those  who  have 

to  see  and  , .     _  ,          T_     .  , 

think,  Uni-     studied  at  the    University !     And3   it   you,   Parents 

versities  will  . 

become         and  Teachers,   tram  your  Children  and  Pupils,   as 

what  they  .  x 

aim  to  be :      early  as  possible  to  see  and  to  think,  then  Universities 

Schools  of  .     ^ 

Truth,          will  become  what  they  ought,  and  aim  to  be — Schools 

Schools  of  ° 

Wisdom.  for  learning  the  highest  spiritual  Truths ;  Schools  for 
realizing  these  in  one's  own  Life  and  Action ;  Schools 
of  Wisdom. 

Every  point  §  113.  From  every  Point  of  Life,  from  every  Object 
leads  to  of  Nature,  there  is  a  way  to  God.  Only  hold  fast 

the   Goal,  and   steadily  keep   the  way The 

We  have  a     Phenomena  of  Nature  form   a  fairer  Ladder  from 

th'aT  '      r  Earth  to  Heaven,  and  from  Heaven  to  Earth,  than 

not  a  dream    ever  Jacob  saw  ;  and  not  in  one  Direction  only — in 

all !     'Tis    not   a  Dream  thou  seest ;    it   abides ;   it 

is  everywhere  about  thee ;  it  is  beautiful ;    Flowers 

.  -          enwreathe  it,  and  Angels  look  from  it  with  the  Eyes 

of    Children ;   it  is  solid ;  it  forms  lasting  Shapes, 

and  rests  upon  a  crystal  World 

Fear  not  to  §  114.  Let  the  Boy's  Eye  and  the  Boy's  Sense  lead 
lead  of  a6  you ;  and,know  for  your  Comfort,  simple,  natural 
tionsS:  a"es  Boys  have  no  Patience  with  half  Truths  and  false  Pre- 

i      \\'\  ^ 

h ™teshaifl  tences.  Follow,  then,  quietly  and  thoughtfully,  their 
Questions;  these  will  teach  you  and  them;  for  these 
whenchii-  Questions  come  from  the  human  Spirit,  still  child- 
que"tfons  like  ;  and  what  a  Child,  a  Boy,  asks  a  Parent,  this  a 
cannot*  l  *  grown  Man  will  be  able  to  answer.  But  you  say : 
not  to  give  "Children  and  Boys  ask  more  than  Parents,  than 


SCHOOL.  83 

grown  Men,  can  answer,"  and  it  is  so.     When  you  oneoftwo 
cannot  give  the  Knowledge  they  ask  for,  you  stand  " '  know 
either  at  the  Frontier  of 'the  Earthly,  and  the  Gate  cannot  be 

'     f  '  known  '  :  or 

of  the  Divine:  if  so,  then  speak  out  simply  |"I  do  "iknow 

r  J    L  not  :  others 

not  know,  for  it  cannot  be  known  "1.  and  the  Mind  know.  an<* 

J  you  may. 

and  Heart  of  Child  and  Boy  will  be  satisfied ;  or  you 
stand  only  at  the  Limit  of  your  own  Knowledge  ; 
then  be  not  afraid  to  say  so  [•'/  know  not ;  others 
may ;  you  will,  sometime "].  Take  care  never  to 
speak  as  though  your  own  Boundaries  were  also  the 
Limits  of  possible  human  Knowledge 


IV.— MATHEMATIC. 

§  115.  A   few   pages   back,   somewhat  dislocated  Number— 
we  thought,  F.  says  :  "  Do  you  seek  a  firm  Point  —  gives™ lc 
of  Rest,  and  safe  Guide,  in  all  the  Variety  of  point  and 

o        -VT          t  •  i  T-»    •  r-t     •  -i  sure  guide 

Nature  r     Number  is  such  a  Point  and  Guide,     to  this 
Viewing  Number   as    the    simplest  form,   the  Nature. 
A  B  0  of  Mathematic,  he  proceeds,  here : 
Man  seeks  a  firm  Point  and  sure  Guide  to  Know- 
ledge   of   the   inner   Connexion    of   all    Variety    in 
Nature.     What  can  give  a  surer  and  more  pregnant 
Commencement   for    this    [study   of   variety]    than 
Mathematic,  ?     It    stands,   bearing,    as   it   were,    all 
Variety  in  itself ;  unfolding  all  Variety  out  of  itself; 
yet,  as  being  the  visible  Expression  of  Obedience  to 
Law,  of  Law  herself.     On  account  of  this  comprehen-  The  ver> 


name  means 


sive  Quality,  Mathematic  was  from  the  first  named   science  of 
Theory  of  Knowing,  Science  of  Knowledge,  for  that  HOW  did  it 

acquire, 

is  the  true  Meaning  of  the  Name •  .  .  .  keep,  and 

even  sur- 

What,  then,  is  it  wherebv  Mathematic  not  only  pass,  that 

J      high  title  t 

first  acquired  and  maintained  through  long  Ages, 


84          THE  STUDENT'S  FROEBEL. 

but  has  even  surpassed,  that  high  Rank  ?     What  is 

Mathematic  in  its  Essence,  Growth,  Operation  ?    As 

Phenomenon    of   the    Inward  and    of  the    Outward 

Proceeding    World,  she  belongs   alike  to  Man  and  to  Nature. 

herself  from  .     !  & 

pureintei-      Issuing  from  pure  Intellect,  from  the  simple  Laws 

lect,  Mathe-        .  T, 

matic  finds     of   Thought ;    being  a  visible    Expression  of   these 

Laws,    and   of  Thought   itself;   she   finds,    already 

Nature,  ail     existing  in  the  material  World  outside  her,    Phe- 

phenomena, 

to  be  nomena,  Combinations,  Shapes,  Forms,  that  are  all 

governed  by  r      ' 

her  laws.       necessarily  governed  by  these  Laws ;  yet  they  meet 

her,  in  Nature,  as  wholly  independent  of  her,  and 

Thus  Mathe-  of  human  Intellect  and  Thought.     Man  thus,  in  his 

mane— 

science  of      Interior,  his  Intellect,  in  the  Laws  of  his  Thought, 

knowing — 

mediates       finds  that  very  Nature,  with  all  the  Variety  of  her 

between  man  •>  * 

theirnier"1*1  Phenomena,  which  had  grown  up  independently  of 

dHorid.  him  in  the  Outer-world. 

§  116.  Thus  Mathematic  stands  forth  as  that  which 
unites,  mediates  between,  Man  and  Nature,  Inner- 
and  Outer-world,  Thought  and  Perception  [as  no 
other  subject  of  study  does] 

instruction        Education  of  Man,  without  Mathematic,  without 

of  man, 

without         at  least  thorough  Knowledge  of  Number — whereto, 

Mathematic,  & 

at  least         as  necessary  Condition,  whatever  Study  of  Form  and 

arithmetic,  • 

is  worthless :  gj^g  js  practicable,  will  be  added  as  Occasion  serves — 

maim;  in- 
stead of        is  no  tetter  than   unsubstantial  Patch-  and  Rag- 

aiuing  true 

education.  Work,  and  [instruction,  thus  essentially  defective, 
far  from  helping]  puts  insuperable  Obstacles  in  the 
Way  of  the  Training  and  Development  whereto 

Man   is   destined   and   called For  Human 

Intellect  is  as  inseparable  from  Mathematic  as 
Human  Heart  is  from  Religion. 


SCHOOL.  8£ 

V.— LANGUAGE. 

A. — PRELIMINARY. 

§  117.  What  then  is  Language  and  in  what  Re- 
lation does  it  stand  to  the  other  two  cardinal  Points 
of  Boy-life — that  is,  human  Life?  [viz.  Religion 
and  Mathematic]. 

Wherever  true  inner  Connexion,  true  living  Reci- 

(yet  deserv- 

procity,  exists  an$  expresses  itself,  there   at   once  j^^^"1 
appears  the  Relation  of  Unity,   Individuality,   and  '»<»».- ED.) 
Variety    [as   of    things   distinguishable    yet    really 
one].     So    it   is    with    Religion,  Nature,  and   Lan- 
guage  

Religion — Life  in  the  Heart,  Life  after  the  Heart's  Training  ft* 
Claim,  finding  and  feeling  the  One  in  everything;  nature/and 
Nature — Cognition  of  Particulars  in  the  Outer- world,  equally 

c  .  demanded 

in  themselves,  and  their  Relations  to  one  another,  by  man. 
and  to  the  Whole ;  and  Language,  which  represents 
the  Oneness  of  all  Variety,  the  inner  living  Connexion 
of  all  Things,  endeavoring  to  satisfy  the  Reason: 
these  three  are  then  an  indivisible  Unity,  and  the 
partial,  broken,  and  incoherent  Training  of  one  with- 
out the  others,  necessarily  produces  Onesided  ness ; 
and  hence,  if  not  Destruction,  at  least  Disturbance  of 

human  Nature,  which  is  one 

§118.  Religion,  Nature, — with  Mathematic,  which  AII  these 
is  Nature  in  Man, — and  Language,  these  three,  in  one"ghate 
all  their  various  Relations,  have  one  like  Aim  and 
Purpose ;  to  make  known,  to  reveal  the  Inward,  the 
Inmost :   to  make  the  Internal   External,  and  the 
External  Internal;   and  to  show  both,  Inmost  and 


86  THE  STUDENT'S  FROEBEL. 

Outmost,  in  their  natural,  original,  necessary  Accord 
and  Connexion. 

Therefore,  what  is  said  of  one  of  these  three  may 
likewise,  but  in  its  own  Way,  be  said  of  each  of  the 
other  two.  What,  therefore  has  already  been  said 
of  Religion,  and  Nature  (Mathematic),  if  in  itself 
true,  will  follow  concerning  Language ;  only  with  a 
we  find,  in  Difference  from  the  Peculiarities  of  Language.  We 

fact,  false  .  °        ' 

efforts  to       meet,   alas !   in  lite  with  the  delusion   that  one  or 

cherish  one 

without  the  another  of  these  three  Studies  may  exist  alone ;  by 
itself  advance  and  grow  to  Completeness ;  Language, 
without  Religion  and  Nature  .(Mathematic)  ;  Religion, 
without  Language  and  Nature  (Mathematic)  :  Study 
of  Nature  (Mathematic),  without  Study  of  Language 
and  Religion. 

Now  this,  F.  says,  is  a  sin  against  humanity  one 
and  indivisible,  and  a  great  hindrance  of  man's 
true  development. 

TO  be  com.    As,  however,  Man  is  meant  to  know  surely  and  see 
tion  must       clearly,  and  to  attain  complete  Consciousness,  it  is 

embrace  all  :  •->"•,  T-IT  •  />•»*•  -IT 

not  con-        evident  that  Education  of  Man  necessarily  demands 

fusing  or 

dividing  just  Estimation  and  Knowledge  of  Religion,  of 
Nature  (Mathematic)  and  of  Language,  in  their 
inner,  living  Reciprocity.  Without  a  Knowledge 
of  the  inner  Unity  of  these  three,  we  lose  our- 
selves in  limitless  Multiplicity. 

speech  §  119.  F.  defines:    "Speech  is  a  copy  of    man's 

comes  from  %  A  * 

the  mind  of  whole  inner  and  outer  world."     Again:   "  As  a 

man  :  as 

Nature  from  product  of  man,  speech  comes  forth  immediately 

the  mind  of .  * 

God-  from  his  mind;  is  representation  and  expression 

of  the  human  mind,  as  Nature  is  of  the  divine 
mind."  The  question  whether  language  be  a 
simple  product  of  the  human  mind,  or  grow  from 


SCHOOL.  87 

imitation  of  Nature,  F.  disposes  of  characteris- 
tically :  "  The  spirit  of  Nature  and  that  of  Man, 
are  one;  they  have  one  source — God." 
Admitting  that  objective  proof  is  yet  wanting  "Wemust 
of   what  he  asserts,   F.  pronounces  that   "the  inVard 
inner    conviction    cannot    be    stifled,    that    in  press  them- 
every  language,  inwardly-necessary  Laws  express  necessarily 
themselves  in   the   constituents   of  words ;   in  letters," 'etc 
tones,  sounds,  endings,  also  in  the  letters  and 
their  combinations,  which  are  signs  for  these." 
ED.  admits  the  above  as  an  entirely  probable 
postulate,    but    submits    that    F.'s     examples, 
meant  to  justify  his  pronouncement,  are  all — 
as  Hailmann  says  (p.  215) — "  more  or  less  fanci- 
ful illustrations :  "  and  that  as  the  whole  question 
of  the  genesis  of  speech  is  still  undecided,  it 
should  not  be  mixed  with  that  of  the  use  of 
'anguage  in  the  education  of  man.     We  turn 
from  these  questions,  not  yet  ripe  for  answer,  to 
this   sentence,    than   which   F.  has   few   more 
momentous,  or  of  more  immediate  application : 
§  120.  We  ourselves,  and  yet  more  our  Child- 
ren, would  attain  to  a  far  deeper  InsightTinto  Lan- 
guage, if    in   learning    Languages  we  connected 
Words,  much,  more  than  we  do,  with  real  Sight 
or  Touch  of  the  Things  and  Objects  signified. 

"  Language  would  then,"  F.  continues,  "  be  to 
us  not  only  a  combination  of  sounds  and  words, 
but  a  real  whole,  made  up  of  life  and  objects." 
And  "  our  language  would  again  become  a  life- 
speech  ;  born  of  life,  and  life-giving ;  whereas 
it  threatens,  through  merely  external  treatment, 
to  grow  more  and  more  lifeless." 


88          THE  STUDENT'S  FROEBEL. 

§  121.  It  is  a  supreme  distinction  of  F.  that,  like 
the  alchemy  of  Nature,  he  turns  charcoal  into 
diamonds,  dust  into  pearls.  Asserting,  what 
all  students  of  language  confirm,  that  rhythm, 
measure,  belongs  to  the  infancy  of  all  languages, 
F.  would  recall  to  attention  and  cherishing,  that 
language  of  infancy  which  so  evidently  delights 
in  rhyme;  and  earlier  still  in  repetition  of 
measured  sounds.  (Hailmann,  p.  220,  gives 
most  interesting  examples :  which  many  ob- 
servant nurses  and  sympathetic  grandparents 
could,  doubtless,  parallel.)  We  all  know  with 
what  genius  and  sympathy  F.  himself — in  his 
(t  Mother-  and  Petting- Songs  " — gathers  and 
arranges  provision  for  that  appetite  of  in- 
fancy, whence  is  to  be  fed  and  strengthened 
the  taste  for  poetry  and  song.  Here,  as  else- 
where, F.'s  exhortation  would  be,  "  Take  what 
nature,  Child's  nature,  offers  you,  and  guide  it, 
with  your  wisdom,  along  its  own  way  :  try  not 
to  put-in  whole,  what  your  grown-up  wit  judges 
better:  fatal  instance  of  new  cloth  upon  the 
old  garment.  Select  and  purify  your  nursery- 
rhymes,  not  forbid  them :  tolerate  even  mean- 
ingless sing-song — if  innocent." 

B. — WRITING  AND  BEADING. 

§  122.  F.  says:  "A  naturally-developed  Human- 
being  finds  itself  as  child  or  boy,  in  the  midst  of 
an  outer  life  so  rich  in  objects,  facts,  &c.,  that  it 
cannot  hold  them  all.  Its  inner  life,  meanwhile* 
unfolds  yet  more,  and  it  feels  an  unconquer- 


SCHOOL.  89 

able  impulse  and  need  to  snatch  from  forget- 
f ulness  some  flowers  and  fruits  of  this  meeting 
of  inward  and  outward  life — to  preserve  them, 
for  itself  and  others,  by  means  of  signs. " 
This  is  an  historical  outline  of  how  "  writing  " 
arose  :  first,  "  picture-writing "  of  facts  and 
ideas ;  much  later,  "  alphabetic-writing. " 
The  picture-writing  we  see  continually  in 
children,  when  they  endeavour  to  draw  the 
event  that  struck  their  minds.  Not  infre- 
quently, children  have  been  known  to  form 
sign-sounds  or  letters  for  themselves.  To  wait 
for  this  original  invention  would  detain  us  too 
long.  Before  giving  the  instruction,  however, 
it  should  be  most  unequivocally  asked-for, 
demanded,  by  the  child's  nature. 

Instruction    must    always  be    connected  with  Noinstruc- 
a   certain    Need    and   Want   of  the  Pupil;    and  be  given*  bm 
this  Want  must  have    been    previously  developed,  feimeed,  in 
wakened,  led  up  to,  in  the  Boy,  or  he  cannot  be 
taught  with    Advantage,   with    Success.      A  chief 
Cause  of  many  Imperfections  in  our  Schools,  in  our 
System  of  Instruction,  is  that  we  teach  and  instruct  Never  give 

'  f  m       answers,  till 

our  Children  without  having    first    awakened    this  questions  are 

0  asked. 

Need:    perhaps    when  we    have    already  destroyed 
what  was  in  the  Child !    How  could  such  School  and 

Instruction  prosper  ? 

§  123.    Reading,  and  Learning  to  Read,   sprang  Reading 
necessarily  from  the  Wish  to  render  audible  to  one-  thTwIsht™ 

in          T         i  11-11  i      ^  '  -i  recall  what 

sell  and  others  what  had  been  before  written  down  ;  has  been 

.  written. 

to  recall  this  to  one  s  Memory ;  as  it  were,  to  revive 
it.  Through  the  Act  of  Writing  and  Reading 
which  must  be  preceded  by  a  certain  Extent  of 


90          THE  STUDENT'S  FROEBEL. 

living  Knowledge  of  the  Language,  Man  rises  above 
every  other  known   Creature,   and    approaches    the 
ifise  dixit !    Attainment  of  his  Destiny ;  Man  becomes  a  Person 
doubtful!]     first   by   the   practice   of    this    Art.      Thus    [more 
lc°hyoiaercres  credibly]  the  Endeavor  to  learn  Beading  and  Writ- 
wru™and°     ing  makes  the  Boy,  the  Pupil,  into  a  Scholar  ;  first 
renders  School  possible.     The  possession  of  Writing 
gives  Man  the  Capacity  of  one  day  becoming  self- 
conscious  ;  it  first  renders  possible  true  Knowledge, 
which  is    Self-knowledge ;    for   it   enables   Man    to 
By  means  of  contemplate  his  own  Being,  placing  it  as  an  Object 
becomes        before  him.     Writing  connects  Man  as  Present,  with 

conscious  of  . 

his  own  the  Past  and  the  Future;  with  the  Nearest,  com- 
pletely, and  with  the  most  Distant,  certainly. 
Thus,  Writing  gives  Man  the  Possibility  of  reaching 
the  highest  completest  earthly  Perfection 

The  want  §   124.    Since,  then,  Reading  and  Writing  are  so 

should  be  , 

clearly          important  to  Man,  the  Boy  must  be  strong  enough 

shown  before  ^  1 

children  are    and  intelligent  enough  [properly  to  use  themj.      Ine 

write  and       Possibility  of  becoming  conscious  must  be  already 

awake  in  him  ;  the  Need  of  Writing  and  Reading, 

the  Impulse — the  Necessity — for  them  should  have 

clearly  expressed  itself,   before   Children   begin   to 

ifthepupu           a  to  write  and  read.     The  Boy  who  is  to  learn 

inah!m  of mg  Writing  and  Reading  with  true  Profit,  must  him- 

canbecome    self  already  ~be  something  [of  which  he  can  be  con- 
conscious,  '-ill,'  1  •  £  -j.1  • 

reading         scious]  else,  he  tries  to   be  conscious  ot   something 

trytoSbeim.    which  he  not  yet  is;   and    all    his    "Knowledge" 

wTaTbTis0     [gained  by  reading]  will   be   hollow,  dead,  empty, 

mechanical.     When  thus  the  Foundation  is  lifeless 

and  mechanical,  how  can  Life-activity,  true  Life,  the 

highest  Prize  of  all  Endeavor,  be  developed  ?  How 

can  Man  really  attain  his  Destiny,  which  is,  Life  ? 


SCHOOL.  91 


VI.— ABT. 

§  125.  From  what  has  already  been  said  about  the  AH  human 

"  endeavor  is 

Aim,  Centre,   and  Obiect  of  all  human  Endeavor,  it  in  one  °f 

J  three  forms  : 

is  clearly  seen  that  all  human  Endeavor  is  three-fold  :  striving  after 
1.  Striving  after  Eest  and  Life  within;  2.  Striving  RefigionT 
after  knowing  and  laying  hold  of  the  Outward ;  3.  ?edgre  oTthc 
Striving  to  represent  directly  the  Inward.     The  1st  Nature;' 
is   the  Endeavor  of  Religion ;  the  2nd,  of  Natural  represent  the 
Science;    the     3rd,     of    Self -representation,    Self-  Art. 

development,  and  Self-contemplation 

Nature  (Mathematic)  and  Language  having  been 
already  touched  on, 

One  thing  is  still  manifestly  wanting  to  the  complete  One  yet 
Presentment   of   Man's  whole   Being ;    this   is  the  ourVurvey— 
Presentment   of   Life — inner    Life    itself,   what    is 
immediately    experienced — the    Heart;    this   third, 
Presentment  of  what  is  within  Man,  the  true  Self  of 
Man,  is  Art. 

§  126.  All  human  ideas,  one  only  excepted,  are  Art  touches 

relative Therefore,  Art  has  a  side  where  it  Mathe- 

touches  Mathematic,  or  the  Understanding  ;  a  second  another, 

Language  I 

where  it  touches  the  World  of  Language,  oKReason :   on  another 

0  seems  pre- 

a  third  where,   although  pure  Presentment  OBvthfi  s^tmentof 

0        r  nature:  at 

Internal,  it  seems  to  be  one  with  the  Representation  lastcoinddes 

.     .  .       wi* re- 

of   Nature ;    finally,    one   where   it    coincides    with   ligion. 

Religion  ....  If  Art  is  viewed  only  in  its  ultimate 

Unity,  as  pure  Presentment  of  the  Internal,  it  occurs 

to  us,  that  Art-presentments  of  what  lives  within 

Man — of  what  forms  his  proper  inner  Life — will  be 

different    according   to   the  Matter,  in  which   they 

have  to  be  imbodied  ....  Art,  as  Presentment  by  Art-present. 

pure  Sound  is  Music,  especially  Sony ;  as  Present-  diffe/bT* 


92 


THE  STUDENT'S  FROEBEL. 


their  ma- 
terial; sound 
color,  line, 
mass. 


As  c  Tort  to 
draw  ap- 
pears very 
early;  to 
paint  and 
model  soon 
after;  we 
judge  that 
feeling  for 
Art  is  a 
general 
gift  of  man ; 
ought  there- 
fore to  be 
cherished 
from  the 
first. 

Taste  being 
nourished, 
and  oppor- 
tunity for 
practice 
given,  child 
becomes 
able  to  en- 
joy true 
works  of 
Art. 

Singing, 
drawing, 
painting, 
modelling, 
must  have 
place  in 
every  full 
scheme  of 
education. 

Not  to 
breed 
artists ;  to 
unfold  man 
in  every 
direction. 


merit  for  the  Sight,  by  Colors,  is  Painting ;  Art  as 
Presentment  in  Space,  by  forming  and  shaping 
of  mass,  is  Modelling,  or  Sculpture.  Draining  is  a 
link  between  the  two  last,  and  might  be  taken  as 
presentment  by  simple  Lines,  while  Painting  is  pre- 
sentment by  surfaces;  and  Modelling,  by  masses. 
We  have  seen,  the  Effort  to  draw  appears  at  an  early 
Stage  of  human  Development.  The  Effort  too  by 
Modelling,  and  by  Painting,  to  put  forth  what  is 
within,  appears  early ;  often  in  Childhood,  distinctly 
in  early  Boyhood.  We  conclude,  then,  without 
Hesitation,  that  Feeling  for  Art  is  a  general  Quality 
and  Gift  of  Man  ;  and  ought  to  be  cherished  from 
the  first ;  at  latest  in  Boyhood. 

§  127.  When  this  Feeling  is  cared  for,  even  though 
the  Individual  have  no  special  Gift  for  Art,  so  as  to 
grow  up  an  Artist,  he  will  become  better  able  to 
understand  and  value  Works  of  Art :  and  a  genuine 
School  Training  [in  art]  will  save  him  from  setting 
up  for  an  Artist  without  true  inner  Vocation.  Sing- 
ing, Drawing,  Painting,  and  Modelling  must  therefore 
be  early  taken  into  Account  by  any  general,  compre- 
hensive Scheme  of  Human  Education  and  Accom- 
plishment ;  they  must  be  early  treated  as  serious 

School  Matters,  not  left  to  Chance  or  Caprice 

The  Purpose  being  that  every  Human-being  be 
enabled  to  develop  f.illy  and  in  all  Directions, 
faithful  to  his  own  Nature ;  that  each  may  grow  up 
to  recognize  the  all-sided  Activity  of  Man ;  and 
specially,  as  aforesaid,  that  every  Individual  may 
know  how  to  perceive  and  to  estimate  the  Productions 
of  genuine  Art. 

Poetic   Representation   also,  as  was   Drawing  in 


SCHOOL.  93 

another  Point  of  View,  is  a  connecting  Link  with  poesy.too, 
Art.      Starting  from   Language,    Poesy   is   a   con-  with  art 
densed  Representation  of  the  spiritual  inner  World ; 
a  Presentment  of  eternally  moved  and  moving  Life — 
at  Rest.     In  everything,  in  Life  and  in  Religion,  so  Man  must 
also  in  Art,  the  last  and  highest  Aim  of  Representa-  highest  ob- 
tion  is  Man,  pure  and  simple.     Christian  Art  is  or  toman. 
ought  to  be  the  highest  Art ;  for  she  endeavors  to 
display  in   everything    the    Constant,    the    Divine, 
specially  in  and  by  Man :  for  Man  is  the  highest 
Object  of  Art,  to  Man 

0. — HOME  AND  SCHOOL. 
§  128.  In  the  Home  the  Child  grows  up  to  Boy-  School-life 

_  iciiT  i  t*  c*i    i         i      i         i  1   r  and  home- 

hood  and  school-age ;  therefore  bchool  should  [grow  Hfe  should 

,-,...'  ,       TT  m       -i  be  joined, 

out  of  andj  pin  itself  on  to  the  Home.     To-day,  the  not  divided, 
first  and  most  indispensable  Demand  of  human  Deve-  fir«  n«=d  of 

the  day. 

lopment  and  Training,  complete,  or  tending  to  Com-  [True  now, 
pleteness,  is  Union  of  Instruction  with  Life ;  Union  w^oTethis: 

of  Home-  and   School-Life Could   we   but  stepfarf00* 

perceive  what  a  burdensome  Mass  of  accumulated,  nghtVay-— 
mechanical,  far-fetched    Knowledge    and    Training,  Wedono 
we  already  possess,  and  are  foolishly  striving  day  by  ^h^f  our* 
day  to  augment ;  and  on  the  other  hand,  how  very  f^ fetched'— 
little  Knowledge  we  have,  that  has  been  developed  ^^"f  how 
out   of  ourselves,    that   has  grown-up   in   our   own  ^^th. 
Souls ;  it  would  be  well  for  our  Children,  and  for  the 
Saving  of  future  Generations,  if  we  would  but  cease 
to  be  proud  of  our  foreign  Thinking,  foreign  Know- 
ing, even  foreign  Emotions  and  Feelings :  cease  to 
set  the  highest  Fame  and   Success  of  our  Schools 
therein,  that  they  stuff  our  Children's  Minds  and 


94  THE  STUDENT'S  FROEBEL. 

it  were  well    Hearts  with  all  this  far-fetched,  veneered,  Knowledge 

we  had  done  -,    — .,   .,-.   , 

with  foreign      and  DKlll  ! 

knowledge,  F.  alludes  here  to  the  old  complaint  of  German 

raise  plants  eagerness  to  borrow  and  appropriate  "  culture  " 

of  knowledge  TXT-   i  TIT 

and  skill  in  from   strangers.       With   very    little   change   oi 

ourselves  !  •     .  - 1  a  -    * 

name,  the  story  is  told  ot  us. 

Shall  we  never  begin  to  raise  a  Tree  of  Life  in  our 

own  Hearts  ?      A  Tree  of  Knowledge  in  our  own 

Minds  ?     To  cherish  it  unto  beautiful  Unfolding,  so 

Let  us  cease    that  it  may  bloom  in  Health  and  Beauty,  and  give 

to  stamp  our  .  .    .       7  _  1 

children  like  ripe  Fruits  which  here  must  decay,   but  mere  will 

coins:  but  . 

let  them        spring  up  again  r     bhall  we  never  tire  of  stamping 

plants  from     our  Children  and  Pupils  like  Coins ;  letting  them 

within  them,  flourish  with  Image    and    Superscription   not   their 

own,   instead  of  having  them   move   beside   us  as 

Growths  of  the  Law  aud  the  Life  planted  in  them 

by  God  our  Father  :  with  divine  Features,  and  in  the 

Mankind's     Image  of  God  ?  .  .  .  .    The  Welfare  of  Mankind  can 

can  be  re-       be  restored  only  from  the  quiet  private  Sanctuary  of 

newed  only 

in  the  home.  Home.  At  the  founding  oi  each  new  Family,  our 
c^rnesto"  heavenly  Father,  eternally  working  for  the  good  of 
femiiy^and  Mankind,  speaks  to  the  Parents  through  the  Heaven 
to  unfbkhT  He  has  opened  in  their  Hearts.  The  same  Call  goes 
humanity.  forth  to  all  Mankind,  to  every  Individual,  to  repre- 
sent Humanity  in  pure  Development,  Man  in  his 

ideal  Form 

By  putting  §  129.  Shall  we,  then,  always  choke  up  afresh  the 
able instruc-  Well  of  Life  which  God  has  made  to  spring  up  in 
quench  the  Man's  Soul  and  spirit ;  in  every  one's  Heart  ?  Shall 
workings  of  we  rob  ourselves,  our  Children,  our  Pupils,  of  this 
shall  we  unutterable  Joy,  that  within  their  hearts  shall  flow 

persist  in  * 

doing  this?     the  Spring  of  eternal  Life?     Will  you,  Parents  and 
Guardians,  continue  to  compel  Educators  and  Teachers 


SCHOOL.  95 

of  your  Children  to  dam  up  with  Rubbish,  the  Source 
of  Life  in  them,  and  to  hedge  it  round  with  Thicket? 
Perhaps  F.  looks  for  too  much  from  ordinary 
readers,  expecting  them  to  understand  that  this 
"damming-up  the  spring  of  life  with  rubbish,  and 
this  fencing-in  with  thicket,"  is  meant  as  an 
easily  intelligible  metaphor  for  the  ordinary 
school- work,  that  stupefies  in  place  of  brighten- 
ing the  scholar  ;  makes  him  hate  learning  and 
Science,  in  place  of  finding  it  "more  musical 
than  is  Apollo's  lute."  F.  only  means  "that 
asinine  feast  of  sow  thistles  and  brambles,  which 
is  commonly  set  before  ....  our  choicest  and 
hope  fullest  wits " ;  or  was  in  John  Milton's 
time. 

Parents  reply :  "  Unless  thus  equipped,  our  Sons 
are  good  for  nothing  in  the  World ;    they  grow  up, 
and  who  is  to  feed  them  ?     Wherewithal  shall  they  YOU  answer: 
be  clothed  ?  "     Fools !     You  shall  not  be  answered ;  are  our 
"Seek  ye  first  the  Kingdom  of  God;"  for  that  you  fitted  for  the 
would  not  understand,  estranged  as  you  are  from 
God  and  yourselves.     This  is  the  Reply :  "  Do  you  win  you 
desire  for  yo'ir  Children,  a  dull  brooding  Life,  poor  children  as 
in   Knowledge.   Deed,    and   Work  ? "      The  human  them,  or  as 

the  world 

Race  is   to    enjoy    Wisdom    and    Intelligence,    to  demands? 
possess  Energy  and  Activity,  far  beyond  what  we  at 
present  guess. 

For  who  has  said  to  Humanity,  the    Child    of  Humanity  is 

to  grow  in 

God,  "  Thus  far  shalt  thou  go,  and  no  farther  ?  "  knowledge 

and  activity, 

But  these  new  Fruits  are  to  grow-up  in  Freshness  without 

limit. 

and  Strength  of  Youth;    being,  as  it    were,   new-  This  can  be, 
created  Self- productions.  unfoidmg  e 

§  130.  The    Boy    must   not  take   up   his   future  SJSiduai. 


96          THE  STUDENT'S  FROEBEL. 

The  boy  is     Business,  which  is  now  his  Calling,  lazily,  slackly, 
in  his  call-      gloomily.      No  !  cheerful    and  merry    lie   must   be  ; 


tented  with    trusting  in   God,  in  Nature,    in  himself;    rejoicing 
that  his  Trade  will   bring  forth  manifold  Blessing 
and  Success.     Quiet,  Concord,  Temperance,  all  high 
social  Virtues  will  dwell  in  himself,  and  in  his  Home  ; 
when  be-       he  will  be  contented  with  his  Sphere  and  its  Activity  : 
fetherfhe       and  is  not  this  the  Prize  for  which  all  of  us  are 
»y  "°  My     striving  ?  [With  regard  to  his  own  Children's  future] 
not  leam       he  will  not  say,  either;  "My  Boy  shall  learn  any 
for  it  is  the     Trade  rather  than  mine;  for  it  is  the  barrenest  of 
Nor  win  he    a^  >"  or>  insist  that  the  Trade  which  he  has  himself 
fntoewhats°n  followed,  with  Profit  and  Advantage,  because  it  suited 
smted  him-    kis  Tastes  and  Powers,  shall  be  pursued  by  his  Son  — 
He  wm  see    [whose  disposition  may  be  wholly  different].      He 
business  can  will  see  that  the  smallest  Business  can  be  carried  on 

beconducted    .          ,  T_T  ,  m       ,  , 

worthily.  in  a  large  Way  ;  that  every  Trade  may  be  so  ennobled, 
that  its  Practice  is  not  beneath  Man's  Dignity. 
Having  He  will  perceive  that  the  humblest  Powers,  rightly 
for  his  "  applied  to  Work,  will  procure  him  Bread,  Cloth- 
Bouis.he"  ing,  Shelter  —  and  in  addition,  Eespect.  Thus  he 
anxious  will  have  no  Fear  for  his  Children's  future,  because 

about  their  .  .  ,  ' 

worldly        his    highest  Anxiety   has   been    to    cultivate    their 

fortune. 

boulS  ............................ 

F.'S  scheme        §  131.  Here  follows  an  arrangement  of  "  Means  of 
edScltbn?  Education,  in  common,"  so  named  by  F.  ;  perhaps 

more  accurately,  of  the  directions  which  train- 
ing of  children,  in  numbers,  should  take  in 
practice.  These  follow  necessarily,  he  holds, 
from  the  development  proper  to  Man  when 
come  to  the  Boy-age  ;  and  answer  to  the  inner 
and  outer  claims  of  the  child's  nature, 
School-age  begins. 


SCHOOL.  97 

1.  To   awaken,    nourish,   and    strengthen    the  i.  Cherish 

religious 

religious    Sentiment,   which    keeps    the    human  feeling. 
Heart  in  Union,  and  unites  it  ever  more  closely, 
with  God.  ....  In  Accord  with,  and  as  Means  to 
this: 

2.  To   get   by   Heart    religious   Sayings,   upon  2.  AS  means 
Nature  and  Man  and  their  Relations  to  God,  to  be  learning  by 
used  in  Prayer  :  as  a  Mirror,  in  which  the  Boy  may  and  sayings 
behold  his  original  Feelings,  Guesses,  and  Endeavors  Nature  and 
after  Union  with  God,  and  thus  hold  them  fast. 

3.  Care,  Knowledge,  and  Exercise  of  the  Body  3.-  Cultiva- 

tion of  the 

as  Bearer  and  Instrument  of  the  Mind  ;  this,  by  body. 
means  of  orderly,    graduated  Practice,    leading   to 
bodily  Perfection. 

4.  Contemplation  and  Observation    of   Nature  4.  observa- 
and  the  Outer-world  ;  joined  to,  and  starting  from,  outer  wodd, 
what  is  close  at  hand  ;  seeking  always  Knowledge  wlfhwhat 
of  the  nearer  Environment  before  proceeding  to  the 

more  distant. 

5.  Acquirement   of  short   Poems   representing  5.  Learning 
Nature  and  Life;  Pieces,  namely,  which  give  Life  poen°sr<>n 
to  Objects  of  Nature  near  at  hand,  and  to  Events  human6  ur"; 
of  Home-life  ;  and  show  the  Meaning  of  these,  as  in  wuTsong. 
a  bright  Mirror  ;  especially  with  help  of  Singing. 

6.  Exercises  in  Language  and  Speech;  setting  e.  Exercise 
out  from  Observation  of  Nature,  and  the  Outer-  world, 

but  passing  on  to  Contemplation  of  Man's  Inner- 
world  :  always  keeping  chiefly  in  view  Language 
and  Speech  as  audible  Means  of  Eepresentation. 

7.  Exercises  in,  and  for,  material  Bepresenta-  7.  Exercises, 
tion,  by  Law  and  Bule,  proceeding  always  from  11 
the  simple  to  the  complex.     Hereto  belong  Repre- 
sentations by  Materials,  already  more  or  less  formed  ; 

a 


98          THE  STUDENT'S  FROEBEL. 

as  Building,  and  all  constructive  Handwork :  Works 
in  Paper,  Pasteboard,  Wood,  &c.  Lastly  and  specially, 
Shapes  made  out  of  unshaped  but  shapeable  matter 
[clay,  wax,  &c.]. 

8.  Represen        8.  Exercises   with    Lines   upon   a   Surface,    in 
surface'?'       constant,    express    and    visible   Reference    to    the 
hmss;  draw-  ver^ca]    an(j  horizontal  Directions That    is, 

Draiving-in  the  Network,  according  to  Rule. 

9.  Colors:          9.  Perception  of  Colors,  in  their  Difference,  and 
se^foras^or    Likeness :  with   Representation  of   them   in    given 

Spaces,  preserving  certain  Form :  painting  of  Pictures 
in  Outline,  on  Paper  ruled  in  Network. 

10.  Play:          10.  £lay ;  that  is, voluntary  Exercises  and  Repre- 

all  voluntary  ,     ,  •  r     n   i  •     J 

exercises.       sentations  oi  all  kinds. 

u.  Telling          11-  Narrating  of  Histories  and  Legends,  Fables 

fafbies,"etc.  and  Fairy-tales,  adapted  to  Events  of  the  Day,  the 
Seasons,  real  Life,  &c. 

i».  Excur-         12.  Short  Journeys  and  long  Walks. 

ra°mt>i«L  '  §  132.  His  special  point  being  that  home-,  and 
school-life  should  work  together,  in  the  boy's  train- 
ing, F.  points  out  that  the  matters  above  specified 
should  be  shared  between  domestic  and  scholastic 
occupations  :  he  suggests  employing  the  boy  in 
errands  or  messages  which  will  task  his  judg- 
ment, and  require  concentration  of  thought ; 
perhaps,  having  him  directly  instructed  by 
craftsmen,  or  cultivators,  in  their  arts.  We 
see  herein  foregleams  of  that  beneficent  dawn 
of  technical  education,  handwork,  Slo'jd,  &c., 
which  in  these  last  years  of  the  nineteenth 
century  permits  sanguine  persons  to  foresee 
something  like  a  national  education  according 
to  reason,  before  the  end  of  the  twentieth. 


SCHOOL.  99 

The  methods  and  means  for  these  developing 
processes   belong,   of  course,   to  the  proposed 
second  part  of  this  little  book  —  Methodic.    Many 
very   important   utterances  of  F.,  that  belong 
to  our  present  division,  Psedagogic,  are  found 
among  the  illustrations  of  Method. 
§  133.  For  Boys  towards  the  Close  of  Boyhood,  it  Young 
is  most  important  to  spend  steadily  at  least  an  Hour  wlrdsW 

.         .  ~  .  endofloy- 

or  two  daily  in  some  material  Occupation  ;  in  Occu-  hood,  should 
pation  that  produces  something  useful.      Weighty  hour  or  two 

daily  in 

good  Results  for  their  future  Life  would  follow  :  for  s°me  useful 

occupation. 

a  most  hurtful  Effect  of  our  present  School-arrange- 
ments, especially  of  the  so-called  classical  Schools,  is, 
that  the  Boy  when  entering  them  leaves  behind  all 
Home-occupations,  all  useful  Work.     Do  not  reply  :  Averyiii 
"  In   this  Period  of  elder   Boyhood,  the  Boy  must  present 
apply  his  whole  Force  to  Word-learning,  to  intellectual  scho^s,  is 
Culture,  if  he  is  to  reach  a  certain  Proficiency  in  ing  them  the 
Knowledge."     Not  so:  genuine  Experience  teaches  behmcuif 
the  very  Reverse  of  this  ;   intellectual  Occupation,  occupation. 
alternating  with  bodily  Work,  with  Employment  for  pro^e's'thtt 
useful  Production,  strengthens  not  the  Body  alone,  alternating 
but  yet  more  the  Intellect,  in  the  various  Directions  MPsSmind' 
of  mental  Activity.    After  such  a  refreshing  Labour-  ^seful 
bath—  I  know  no  better  Name—  the  Mind  will  set  ^t^,rukr.is 
about  its  abstract  Work  with  new  Force  and  Live-  fresh'bgfor 


new  intel- 
lectualwork. 


§  134.  Referring  to  his  5th  "Means"  —  "  Learning 
by  heart  of  little  poems,  which  express  nature 
and  life,  especially  accompanied  by  song,"  F. 
says  :  "  Nature  and  Human  life  speak  early,  to  Voices  of 

-»«  •         i      •      -n  i  •  i  i  Nature  and 

Man,  in  their  Events  :  but  in  so  low  a  tone  that  life  that 

whisper  to 

the  Boy  s  unpractised  ear  can  scarcely  perceive  the  childish 


100  THE  STUDENT'S  FROEBEL. 

ear,  should  them,  still  less  put  them  into  his  own  Language. 

for  and  Seasons  and  Day-times  come  and  go :  Spring, 

with  her  Buds  and  Blossoms  fills  Man — while 
yet  a  Boy — with  Joy  and  Life ;  Autumn  with 
her  falling  Leaves  gives  him  Longing  and 
Eegret ;  and  stern  Winter,  a  sense  of  Hardship 
overcome,  which  he  would  sadly  miss.  These 
dim  Feelings,  and  many  like  them,  native  to 
Childhood,  are  not  to  be  neglected,  but  recog- 
nized and  cherished.  Life — our  Adult-life — 
would  be  far  poorer  and  emptier  than  it  is,  but 
for  the  Well  of  Feeling  that  first  opened  up,  in 
Childhood  and.  Youth." 

Boy  wants         §  135.  Nature  and  Life  speak  to  man,  but  that  is 

emotions  not  all.     Man  himself  wants  to  make  known  the 

roused  by  .  .  ,  . 

Nature,  and  emotions,  the  presentiments,  thus  awakened  in 

inner  life.  . 

him,  and  as  he  cannot  always  find   words  for 
himself,  words    should  be   given   him,   as   his 
Words  heart,  and  his  inner  sense,  in  their  unfolding, 

afforded,  not  ask   for.      What   binds   Man   to  Man  is    not 

precept.  External  only,  nor  can  it  be  too  easily  expressed, 

moralizing  It  is  full  of  deep  sense  and  meaning ;  and  its 

we"adkernsand  soft  chords  must  be  early  cherished  in  the  Boy, 

felling.6  not  by  direct  precept  which  is  apt  to  fetter  and 

Suggestion,  drill,  rather  than  give  life.     Suggestion,  in  the 

as  in  song  or 

ft  free kaves  mirror  of  a  song,  without  pointed  moral  appli- 

cation, leaves  the  boy  that  freedom  of  heart  and 
will  which  is  needed  to  strengthen  and  develop 
his  affectional  and  moral  nature. 

Manunfoids,       §  136.  Upon  his  7th  "  Means,"  practice  of  material 
what  he s>  Representation  in  space,  under  Rule  and  Law, 

takes  in;  T          <•  i  ,  i  i          -n 

greatly  more  proceeding  irom  simple  to  the  complex,  F.  says, 

bywhathe  F.  6.  .  V 

out.  Ins  expression  beirg  somewhat  condensed, 


SCHOOL.  101 

Man  is  developed  and  formed  for  the  Attainment  of 
his  true  Destination,  in  part  by  what  he,  as  a  Boy,  re- 
ceives from  without  and  takesiwfo  himself;  but,  incom- 
parably more  through  what  he  unfolds  and  represents 
out  of  himself.  This  Truth  is,  of  course,  expressed 
in  the  very  Words,  Development  and  Improvement. 
Experience  and  History  teach,  that  the  Human- 
beings  who  have  been  most  truly  and  deeply 
helpful  to  genuine  human  Welfare,  became  so, 
far  more  by  what  they  produced  out  of  themselves 
than  by  what  they  took  in  from  without. 

It  is  a  commonplace,  that  by  faithfully  teaching,  when  we 
we  advance  in  knowledge  and  intelligence :  and  |2m  ;Wforcc 
another,  which  Nature  teaches  us  all ;  that  by  by^e^That 
every  use  of  strength,  strength  is  both  roused  action  is  far 

'  -,  moreeffec- 

and  augmented.  tive  than 

As,  too,  the  Perceiving  and  Grasping  of  a  Truth,  take  in  by 
by  the  way  of  Life  and  Action,  is  far  more  unfold-  rwe  have 
ing,    forming    and    strengthening,    than    the    mere  g|o!vtheof 
Reception  of  it  in  Word  and  Idea :  so,  likewise  a  a-xiom?*1 
Forming   by   and    in   Matter,    in    Life — by    Doing,  doing.™j-^ 
connected  with  Thinking  and  Speaking,  is  far  more 
helpful  for  Man's  Development  and  Improvement, 
than  is  Representation  by  Ideas  and  by  Word,  with- 
out Act  or  Deed.     This  7th  "  Means,"  or  Subject  of 
Instruction    [representation    by    matter,    in    space!   instruction 

,  „  'n  methods 

therefore   properly   succeeds  those  already  treated :  of  rePre- 

.  senting  in 

Observation   of  External   Nature,  and   Exercise  of  and  bv , 

matter,  fol- 

Language.  lows  <*• 

servation 

The  Boy's  life  and  action  have,  we  know,  but  one  of  Nature, 

•  and  practica 

aim  :  his  life  consists  in  this  external  representa-  lnuLa£" 
tion  of  his  inner  nature,  his  force,  specially  in 
and  by  matter.     In  that  which  he  shapes,  the 


102 


To  utter  his 
inner  nature, 
in  matter,  is 
the  boy's 
true  life. 


What  can  be 
put  in 
belongs 
already  to 
Man, 
and  the 
individual 
will  unfold 
it 


"  We  know 
not  what  we 
shall  be." 

Man's 
essence,  like 
God's  spirit, 
is  eternally 
unfolding. 


This  would 
be  self- 
evident,  but 
for  preju- 
dices which 
make  of  our 
(actual) 
training — en- 
velopment 
and  zwfold- 
ing. 


Boy  sees  not  so  much,  outer  forms  which  should 
enter  into  him ;  he  sees  in  them  his  own  spirit, 
the  laws  and  activities  of  his  own  mind — and 
rightly    so.      The    function    of    teaching    and 
instruction  is,  more    and   more,   to   bring   out 
of  Man,  rather  than  put  into  him. 
§  187.    That  which   can  be  put   into   Man   is — 
properly  speaking — there   already:    Man   knows   it, 
if  the  Individual  does  not :  thus  it  is  no  more  than 
each    one    will,   by-and-by,   through    the   laws    of 
Humanity,    unfold  out  of  himself.      But,  what  is 
yet  to  be  developed  out  of  Humanity ;  what  more 
the  Essence  of  Humanity  possesses,  and  ought  to 
give  out — that  we  know  not  yet ;   that  is   not  yet 
Man's    possession !      We    only    know    that    Man's 
essence,  like  the  Spirit  of  God,  is  eternally  unfold- 
ing. 

This,  F.  continues,  would  be  self-evident,  if  we 
only  observed  the  facts  of  our  own  and  others' 
life.  We  are,  however,  so  incrusted  with  pre- 
judices and  opinions — formed  from  without,  in 
no  sense  the  outcome  of  ourselves,  our  natural 
minds — that  we  have  almost  lost — for  our 
children — the  meaning  of  development  and 
enfolding,  and  ought  rather  to  speak  of  en- 
velopment and  mfolding  :  what  we  really  desire 
is  to  stamp  and  shape  them  to  our  mind,  from 
without.  Better  than  that,  F.  says,  would  be  to 
leave  them  quite  to  themselves ;  rather  not  train 
at  all,  than  train  wrong !  This  may  seem  in 
theory  extravagant,  as  in  practice  it  would  be 
impossible ;  but  in  idea  it  is  true,  and  full  of 
much-needed  warning. 


SCHOOL.  103 

The  welfare  of  the  Individual  and  of  the  Race 
consists  in  the  complete  natural  and  reasonable 
Unfolding  of  the  Human -being  and  his  spiritual 
Forces,  according  to  the  Laws  of  Nature  and  of 
Reason. 

RETROSPECT. 

§  138.  Thus  far  Man,  in  the  Growth  and  Develop-  Occupations 
ment,  of  all  Stages  and  Conditions  of  his  Being,  lies  not  all  given 
before  us,  sketched  in  Outline  from  the  Beginning:  of  practical 

result. 

his  Existence  to  Boyhood :  the  Means,  too,  which 
suit  both  his  actual  Age,  and  the  future  Claims  of 
his  Humanity,  have  been  broadly  indicated.  If  we 
consider  what  has  been  found-out  and  stated  hitherto, 
we  see  that  many  Events  in  the  Boy's  Life  have 
not  a  special  "measurable  "  Purpose:  thus,  Occupa- 
tion with  Colors  is  not  arranged  in  order  to  produce 
Painters  ;  or  Practice  in  Song,  to  make  a  Musician.  They  aim  to 
These  Occupations  aim,  first,  at  unfolding  in  the  to  realize  his 

nil-  i  •  T  •  -VT  inner-man, 

Boy  and  helping   him  to  realize,  his  own  Nature ;  expand  his 

t  spirit. 

they  are  Food  for  his  Mind ;  they  are  the  Ether  in 

which  the  Spirit  breathes  and  lives,  in  order  to  gain  Variety  from 

•  1        -n  •  rrn          without 

strength  and   Force;  in  a  word,  Expansion.     The  should  meet 
mental  Gifts  of  God  to  man,  which  come  forth  in  all  inner  gifts. 
Directions  with  an  irrepressible  Necessity,  being  so 
various,  are  to  be  satisfied  by  Variety  coming  to  meet  Boy. nature 

•  J  is  injured 

them.     Surely  we  shall  one  day    see   that  we   are  when  its  own 

*  J  impulses  are 

hurtfully  thwarting  Boy-nature,  if  we  repress  unduly  jjjj;  j"1^ 
these     necessarily     various     Directions     of    Mind,  ens**^ 
We  do  nothing  but  Harm, — though  we  believe  our- 
selves to  be  doing  Service  to  God  and  Man,  and  God— does 

f  not  graft,  or 

specially  to  the  Boy's  own  future  Good, — by  cutting  bud ;  He 
off  some  of  his  natural  Tendencies,  and  trying 


104  THE  STUDENT'S  FROEBEL. 

Likeness  to  graft  others  in  their  Place.  God  does  not  graft,  or 
Man's  '  bud ;  the  human  Soul,  which  is  divine,  is  not  to  be 
our  chii-  '  grafted  or  budded.  God  develops  what  is  least  and 

dren  s  %  m  - 

spiritual  most  imperfect,  in  steady  Progression,  by  eternal, 
truly  divine  self-evolving  Laws.  Now,  Likeness  to  God,  in 

and  human 

-must  be      Thought  and  Action,  is  to  be  Man's  highest  Goal ; 

the  aim  of 

all.01Jr          especially  where  he  stands  in  parental  Eelations  to 

training.  » 

Children,  as  God  to  Man.  We  should  consider,  in  the 
Education  of  our  Children,  that  the  Kingdom  of  God 
is  indeed  the  Kingdom  of  the  Spiritual ;  that  there- 
fore what  is  spiritual  in  Man,  in  our  Children,  is 
One,  thus  Part  and  Parcel  of  the  Kingdom  of  God.  Thus,  we 

truly  trained  . 

to  be  man,     ought   to    ffive    our   best    Heed    to    the    complete 

will  be  best  & 

prepared  for   Development  of  the   spiritual,  in  our  Children ;  in 

every  claim  L  l 

and  need  of    other  Words,  to  the  Development  of  what  is  properly 
Human,  of  what  is  Divine,  in  each  Individual. 

§  139.  We  have  good  Eight  to  be  fully  convinced, 

that  thus  each  one,  having  been  truly  trained  to  be 

a  Man,  has  thereby  been  educated,  as   well  as  is 

The  world      possible,  for  every  special  Duty,  for  each  particular 

but  for  pur     Need,  of  civil  and  social  Life.     Now  we  [the  world] 

boys  it  is  too  .  , 

late !  Our     say :  "  This  is  all  very  true ;  but  it  does  not  apply 

sons  must  be         J  J  .       .  r  J 

got  ready  for  to  our  boys.     For  our  bons  it  is  too  late;  they  are 

civil  life,  to  J  „  . 

help  us  in      already  in  the  last  Quarter  of  their  Boy-age  ;  what 

our  business, 

to  earn  their   Good    will     such      abstract    and     deeply-grounded 

own  bread  !  r  J    ° 

Instruction   do   them  ?     They   must,    perforce,    get 

Instruction  to  prepare  for  Business.     The  Time  of 

their  Entrance  into  civil  Life,  when  they  must  think 

of  earning  their  own  Maintenance,  or  helping  us  in 

Wesi^uid     our  Business,  is  close  upon  them."  .  True  ;  our  Sons 

them  while     are  already  old  for  what  they  have  yet  to  learn ;  why 

what  they      then  did  we  not  give  them  while  younger,  what  their 

Minds  needed  ?     Are  the  Boys  to  lose  true  Develop- 


SCHOOL.  105 

ment,  and  Training  altogether  ?     The  World  replies  :  "  But  what 

T-ITI  i          -r>  i  MI     i  they  miss, 

"When   the   .Boys    are    grown-up,  they    will  have  they  can 

leisure  to  make  up  Defects."   Fools  that  we  are  !  Our  later." 
Consciousness  contradicts  us,  would  we  but  listen  to 

what  it  says.     Here  and  there  some  small  Omission  N°  '  the 

development 

may  be  supplied  ;  but  all-round,  human  Development,  missed  in 
missed   and   neglected   in   Boyhood,   can  never  be  cannot  he 

"  '  retrieved. 

recovered.     Let  us  all,  Fathers  and  Mothers  too,  be  wefeei.our- 
candid  for  once,  and  confess,  that  we  feel  mental  wounds, 
Wounds,  which  never  heal  while  we  live  ;  hardened  inaLart  a'nd 
Spots  in   our   Hearts,  that   soften  no  more;  dark  wiUnWer 
Places  in  our  Intellects  that  will  never  get  bright;  —  ail  through 
and    all   this   because   noble   human   Feelings,  and  misdirection 
Thoughts  natural  to  Childhood,  were  in  our  Child- 
hood  crushed  or  lost,   chiefly   through   early   Mis- 
direction.    It  will  be  a  Blessing  to  our  Children  if 
this  Confession  be  made  and  acted  on  ......... 

§  140.  If  our  Sons  are  already  in  the  latter  Part  if 
of  their  Boy-age,  and  have  not  yet  learned,  not  yet  old  for 
developed,  what  properly  belongs  to  the  Beginning  that  belongs 
of  Boyhood,  it  were  better  to  turn  back  to  that  n'Lgofboy"" 
Beginning,  to  Childhood  even,  than  finally  to  miss  it  not  better 

T-.  r-i  they  came  — 

what  could  yet   be  recovered.      Perhaps  our  bons  iater-to  the 

would  reach  the   Goal  fof  fitness  for  practical  life!  than  earlier 

.mi  tothe 

a  year  or  two  later:  but  were  it  not  far  better  to  wrong? 


our  sons 
are  a  little 


touch  —  though  late  —  the  true  Goal,  than  to  reach 
the  false  one  earlier?  ....  Consider  the  words  of  chndren!'"ee 
Jesus:    "Become    as  little   Children."      Have  they  wise  enter 
not  the  Meaning,  "Turn  back  to  your  own  Youth,  Kingdom  of 
and  thus  warm  and  revive  the  eternal  Youth  of  your 
Soul."    This,  which  was  spoken  in  the  Time  of  Jesus  3 
as  most  specially  the  Commencement  of  a  new  View 
of  Life  ;  now  spoken  to   us,  to  all  Mankind,  that  a 


106  THE  STUDENT'S  FROEBEL. 

The  hopes     new  and  higher  Stage  of  human  Development  may 

of  our  own 

best  mo-        be  reached  ;  means  "  It  you  provide  not  ior  yourselves 
promise  for    and  your  Children  at  the  Stage  of  Child  and  Boy, 

humanity  of  J  &  J  ' 

the  noblest     whatever  Man's  Spirit  needs,  then  neither  you  nor 

men  ;  can  be  * 

on'f  "so—  b"d  *ney  W^l  ever  a^tain  what  your  Souls,  in  the  happiest, 
proving  for  hopefullest  Moments  of  your  Life,  desired  ;  what  has 

our  children  *•  •>  ' 

s  moved  and  nlled  the  Hearts  of  the  noblest  Human- 


beings,  always." 


Conclusion* 


§  141.  If  we  endeavor  to  bring  to  a  Focus  the  Aim  The  boy  has 
and  Amount  of  Development  which  Man  has  acquired,  fnhfsmie1" 
by  the  unfolding  method  of  Education  and  Instruc-  to  be  awiVe5 

-.  _  -in  T      •          i  i  t         of  his  own 

tion  as  hitherto  described,  we  distinctly  see  that  the  spmtuaUeif: 
Boy  is  come  to  the  Knowledge  of  his  independent  ceivea 
spiritual  Self ;  or,  he  feels  and  knows  himself  to  be  oneness,  and 

.    .         .         '       .  nn        /S  •  <•  its  manifold 

a  spiritual  Whole.     The  Capacity  has  been  formed  utterance; 

in  him  to  perceive  a  Whole,  in  its  Unity  and  Variety.  re?fH£e  him' 

There  has  begun  to  grow  in  him  Ability  to  represent  me?ns  of 

a  Whole  in  its  necessary  Parts ;  to  realize  himself —  material, 

his  Essence — in  its  Unity  and  in  the  Manifoldness  extent,  he 

of  its  Being,  by  means  of  Variety  external  to  it.  destiny:  ex. 

Thus,  we  recognize  the  Human-being,  at  the  Begin-  divine  (the 

.  truly  human) 

ning  of  Boyhood,  as  capable  of  what  is  highest  and  in  him. 

most  important ;  the  Fulfilment,  viz.,  of  his  Destiny, 

or  Function  ;  which  is,  to  realize  the  Divine  Nature 

in  him.     The  subsequent  Life  of  Man  from  Boy-  Hissub- 

ri  ,  sequent  life, 

hood  on,  is  dedicated  to  making  this  Capacity  grow  from  boy- 

0  "L      ,  hood  to 

into   sure    Skill — into    Consciousness — into   Insight  manhood, 

°          will  be  given 

and  Clearness — into   a   freely   arranged   Life.      In  Braising 

0        ^  _  this  ability, 

showing  Ways  and  Means  thereto,  and  introducing  \°^1 
them   into  practical  Life,  the  Continuation   of  this  ^-ordered 
Book  and  of  the  Author's  Life,  will  be  employed. 
F.  F.  hoped,  in   a  second   part    of   his   Book, 


108  THE  STUDENT'S  FROEBEL. 

"The    Education   of   Humanity,  "    to   exhibit 
practical  means  for  the  complete  realization  of 
this  great  Idea.     In  subsequent  occasional  writ- 
ings he  did  much  towards  this  end :  but  the  Book 
remains  a  fragment.     For  witness  that  he  spoke 
truth,  and  will  henceforward  always  speak  truth, 
he  appeals  to  the  Boy-world  that  was  about  him 
when  he  wrote   it:  out  of  whose  Works  and 
Ways,  he  avers,  the  Book  was  built. 
Boys  of  the  very  Age  to  which  this  Book  belongs 
— fresh  in  Spirit,  cheerful  in  Mood,  joyous  in  Soul, 
happy    in    Life :  Boys   who   entered    the    teaching 
Circle  while  the  Book  was  writing — out  of  whom 
it  really  grew — who  usually  surrounded  the  Writer 
while  at  his  Task,  playing  close  by,  never  tired  of 
demanding  fresh   Satisfaction  and  Nourishment  of 
their  Impulses  to   Life    and    Activity :    these    are 
Sureties,  if  outward  Pledges  were  needed,  that  he 
has  written  Truth,  and  will  write  Truth  still. 


INDEX. 


ACTIVITY  (of  body)  to  be  unfolded  for  useful  production,  18 

ADULTS,  often  strangers  to  the  country— to  Nature,  76 

AGE.  Life,  Growth — not  to  be  divided  artificially,  16 

AIM— of  Education,   2; — of  Educator,  Instructor,  9; — of  religious  instruction, 

71 ; — distant,  never  to  be  set  before  a  child,  18 
ART  of  Teaching,  defined,  2 
ART  :  representation  of  Man's  true  self,  91 ;  varies  by  material :  sound,  Music  ; 

coloi',   Painting  ;   mass,    Sculpture,    ib.  ; — feeling,  as  general  gift  of  Man. 

to  be  cherished,  92  ; — highest  object  of,  Man,  93 ;  —  study  in  boyhood  not 

meant  to  breed  artists,  103 

BIBLE  history,  repeated  in  Child,  34 

BIOLOGY,  F.'s,  specimen  of,  25 

BODY, — powers  of,  to  be  unfolded  for  useful  work,  18 

BOY  :  becomes  a  scholar,  50 ;  wants  to  make,  produce  something,  52  ; — never 
shuns  a  difficulty,  54  ; — loves  to  climb,  wander,  see  distance,  54  ;  -  if  early 
used  to  try  his  strength,  comes  safe  out  of  danger,  55  ; — makes  garden,  pool, 
hut  of  boughs,  fort  of  snow,  56 ;  should  have  space,  material,  of  his  own,  ib.; 
asks  for  stories,  legends,  fairy-tales  :  sometimes  invents  them,  61  ; — tries  to 
find  the  Unity  of  all,  66 ; — as  scholar,  becomes  conscious  of  two  worlds, 
Inner  and  Outer,  70  ;  sees  in  the  Outer  world  two  phases  :  Man's  work,  and 
Nature,  ib.  ; — asks  sympathy  and  help  from  elders,  76 ; — duly  trained  as 
Man,  will  be  fit  for  each  duty  of  life,  104  ; — at  end  of  boyhood,  has  attained 
some  self-knowledge,  107 

BOYHOOD,  the  season  for  training  Man  to  work,  21  ; — the  period  of  acquisition, 
instruction,  50 ;  — 's  occupations  not  intended  to  train  artists  or  artisans,  103 

BOYS,  elder,  should  spend  in  useful  Handwork  an  hour  or  two  daily,  99 ; — life, 
after  boyhood,  spent  in  raising  capacity  into  skill,  impulse  into  power,  108  ; — 
out  of  whom  the  book  grew,  testify  that  F.  has  written  truth. 

CHILD,  outwardly  good,  not  always  so  at  heart,  4;  froward,  sometimes  really 
anxious  to  be  good,  ib. ;— -feels  whether  a  command  is  arbitrary  or  imper- 
sonal, 9  ; — to  be  accounted  God's  gift :  a  member  of  Humanity  :  from  the 
first,  10 ; — to  be  treated  as  Man  in  germ,  taught  to  use  all  Its  powers,  12  : — 
to  see  everything — name  everything — aright,  29  ;— believes  all  things  can 
feel,  speak,  hear,  30; — should  be  brought  close  to  Nature,  ib.  ; — Its  experi- 
ments, 40 ; — wants  to  know  all  about  Its  treasures,  ib.  ; — brings  them  to 
elders,  ib. ', — approaching  Boyhood,  is  full  of  various  life,  41 ; — loves  to  help 
Father  or  Mother,  44  ; — wants  always  to  be  doing,  52  ;  often  made  bad 
(because  misunderstood),  65  ;— enters  School  with  strong  faith  and  hope,  68 
— shews,  there,  Self-will  and  Mischief,  69 

CHILDHOOD,  specially  develops  Speech,  48  ;—  the  period  of  training,  50;  by 
Play,  and  Home-life,  51 

CHILD'S  mode  of  life — momentous  for  Its  future,  31  ;— clothing  to  be  simple, 
loose  :  never  an  end  in  itself,  34 

COERCION  must  act  under  a  higher  law — abstract  Right,  8 

COMMON,  Means  of  Education,  in  :  i-xii.  97 

DESTINATION,  of  all  things,  to  reveal  God,  a  — of  Man,  to  manifest  his  essence, 
the  divine,  4 


110  INDEX. 

DIET — in  Childhood — of  serious  moment,  31  ; — to  be  simple,  frugal,  sufficient, 

32 

DOCTRINE  of  Education  denned,  4 
DRAWING,  an  instinct,  its  birth  and  growth,  41 ; — opens  a  new  world  to  Child, 

ib.; — to  be   always  connected  with  speech,  43; — a  form  of  Art    uniting 

sculpture  and  painting,  92 

EDUCATION  of  Man,  defined,  2 ; — to  be  observant,  not  coercive,  5  ; — coercive, 
needed,  where  Man's  original  condition  has  been  spoiled,  6 ; — genuine, 
always  two-sided,  8  ; — proper,  begins  with  Childhood,  28  ; — first  point  of, 
teach  children  to  reflect,  45  ; — when  unnatural  stops  the  natural  unfolding, 
94;  — when  natural  (humane)  brings  joy  to  all  conditions  of  life,  ennobles 
every  occupation,  96 ; — complete,  if  neglected  in  youth,  cannot  be  re- 
trieved, 104 

FAULTS  of  boyhood,  their  causes :  certain  sides  of  Man's  nature,  unawakened 

or  distorted,  63  ;— to  be  cured  only  by  true  unfolding,  64 
FOOD  in  childhood,  excessive  or  too  luxurious,  is  poison,  33 
FOUNDATION  of  man's  true  welfare  and  happiness— simple,  33 
FROEBEL  :  Biology,  specimen,  25  ; — paints,  in  dark  colors,  boyish  faults,  62  ; — 
"  Form — theory,"    questionable,     79  ; — makes     Force,    inseparable     from 
Matter,  the  last  ground  of  Things,  78,  79 

GAMES  (boys')  :  to  practise,  display,  measure  strength  (of  body)  58; — confirm 
mental  and  moral  force  also,  nourish  courage,  endurance  ;  even  justice  and 
kindness,  ib. 

GARDEN,  or  plants  to  tend,  of  his  own,  delightful  to  Boy,  58 
GOD,  basis  of  Law,  source  of  Being,  i :  dwells  not  in  Nature,  as   His   house, 
74 ; — does  not  graft  or  bud,  develops,  104 

HOME — sole  renewer  of  human  welfare,  94 

HOPE,  for  Man's  future,  in  what  is  yet  to  be  unfolded,  102 

HUMAN — being,   to  be   early    taught   industry    in    useful     work,    ai  ; — force 

unfolds  in  three  ways  :  Religion — Toil — Self-command,  22 
HUMANITY,  takes  its  own  form  in  each  human  being,  n  ; — best  manifested  by 

completest  unfolding  of  the  individual,  12 

IMPRESSIONS,  of  infancy — youth — often  indelible,  14 

INDIVIDUAL,  each,  passes  through  previous  development  of  Man,  n 

INFANCY  ends,  when  Child  begins  of  Itself,  to  express  what  is  within,  28  ;  the 
period  of  tendance,  50 

INFANT  :  Its  first  expression— force,  12  ;— smiling  means  well-being,  ib.  ; — 
crying,  not  at  first  wilful  :  means  pain,  discomfort ;  sometimes  to  be  dis- 
regarded, 13  ; — never  permitted  to  get  Its  own  way,  14  ; — called  fitly 
"  Suckling  "  :  Its  whole  being,  sensitive  to  outer  impressions,  ib.  ; — Man  in 
germ,  23  ;  all  powers  to  be  cherished,  as  they  appear,  ib. 

INFANTS  sing  to  themselves,  38 

INSTRUCTION,  to  be  given  in  answer  to  Pupils'  need,  89  ; — should  always  bring- 
out  rather  than  put-in,  102  ; — I.  in  Religion,  71  ; — II.  Study  of  Nature, 
73  ;— III.  Study  of  Forms,  77  ; — IV.  Mathematic,  83  ; — V.  Language  :  a, 
preliminary  ;  b,  Writing  and.  Reading,  85  ; — VI.  Art,  91 

INTERFERENCE  with  Nature,  to  be  avoided  as  far  as  possible,  7 

Ipse  dixit,  4,  8,  66,  85,  87,  90,  102 

JESUS,  Religion  of — Froebel's  idea,  72,  3  : — says  "Turn  and  become  as  little 
children,"  ios 

"  LABOUR-BATH,"  F.'s  name  for  bodily  work  alternating  with  study,  99 
LANGUAGE,  our  common,  lacks  the  basis  of  intuition,  46, — of  Infancy  delights 
in  rhythm  and  rhyme,  88 


INDEX.  Ill 

LAW  dwells  in  all  things,  i  ; — in  Man,  Nature,  Life,  ib.  ;  so  seen  by  minds  of 

diverse  type,  ib. 

"  Learn  by  doing  :"  F.'s  motto,  42,  101,  &c. 

"  Let  us  live  for  our  children  " ;  or  (Hailmann)  "  with  our  children,"  46 
LIFE,  wisdom  of,  defined,  3 

MAN  (as  Infant)  tries  for  what  is  best  for  It,  5 ; — never  to  be  accounted  complete, 
ii ; — always  growing,  ib. ;— should  work  to  manifest  his  God-given  spirit,  20  ; 
— rising  to  Boyhood,  separates  Man  from  Thing  ;  Thing  from  Name,  49  ; — as 
Boy,  asks  to  know  the  past :  what  old  ruins,  &c.,  mean,  60:— loves  tale, 
legend,  by  and  by  history,  ib.  ;— being  free,  can  do  wrong,  63  ; — should 
grow,  as  boy,  from  impulse  to  choice  :  from  self-will  to  perseverance,  70 ; — 
developed  by  what  he  takes  in,  101  ;  and  more  by  what  he  gives  out,  ib.  : 
— 's  welfare  depends  on  complete  unfolding  of  Body,  Mind,  and  Soul,  in 
agreement  with  Nature  and  Reason,  103 ; — highest  development  to  be 
reached  alone  by  perfect  training  of  children,  106 

MATHEMATIC,  sure  guide  in  the  variety  of  Nature,  83; — means  "  science  of 
knowing,"  ib. ;  belongs  alike  to  Man  and  the  Outerworld,  84 ; — (at  least, 
Arithmetic)  essential  to  Education,  ib.  ; 

MEANS,  to  mankind's  true  welfare,  too  near,  cheap,  easy,  33  ; — of  Education  in 
common,  97 

MODE,  of  life  in  childhood,  momentous  for  the  future,  31 

MOTHER,  true,  lays  her  babe  to  rest,  and  lifts  it  from  sleep,  with  upward  look 

of  prayer,  15  ; ,  by  instinct,  teaches  her  child  to  know  Its  limbs,  and 

senses,  34 ;  — 's  training  bettered  by  thought  and  system,  35  ; super- 
seded, means  loss  of  God  and  Nature,  ib. 

NAMES,  of   early  Christians,  for  children  (marg.)  10; — for  objects,  take  the 

easiest,  80 ; — exact,  technical,  can  wait,  ib. 
NATURE,  not  God's  body  or  house,  74 ; — from  without,  shows  endless  variety  of 

details,  77 ; — from  within,  seen  to  have  unity  and  law,  78 
NURSERY,  to  be  mother's  room,  too,  36 
NURSLING,  cares  only  for  exercise,  not  for  results,  26; — 's  play  with  Its  limbs 

natural,  but  needs  watching,  ib. 

OBJECT,  becomes  distinct  by  means  of  Word,  24  ; — meets  child  with  demand  to 

be  understood,  25  ; — not  distinguished  by  child  from  word,  48 
OCCUPATIONS,  indoor  :  hand-work,  59 
OUTERWORLD  meets  new-born  child,  as  a  chaos,  24 

PARENTS  should,  for  Children's  welfare,  be  and  do — what  i  11 ; let  child  do 

alone  all  It  can  :  help,  where  It  can  not :  give  speech  to  Things,  39  ; 

encourage  their  children  to  help  in  work  :  answer  questions  :  shew  them 
how  to  answer  themselves,  44 ; — thus  train  them  to  real  help,  53 ; — and 
children  should  move  together  in  Nature  :  observe,  learn,  together,  80 ; — 's 
example,  for  good  and  ill,  always  potent,  16  : — at  present  undervalue  useful 
work,  22 

PLAY  and  speech,  two  elements  of  the  Child's  life,  29  ; — in  child's  stage,  the 
highest  unfolding  of  Man,  30 ; — copy  of  inward  life  of  Man  and  things, 
ib.  ; — vigorous,  of  child,  promises  earnest  manhood,  it. 

POESY,  linked  to  Art  by  Song,  93 

PURPOSE  of  teaching,  9 

QUALITIES  of  objects  :  found-out  first ;  then  named,  80 

QUESTIONS  of  children,  how  to  answer,  83 

RELATION  of  God  to  Nature.  F.'s  view  of  the,  73 

RELIGION,  what  it  is,  71  ; — Nature  with  Mathematic,  and  Language,  essential  to 
Education,  85,  6  ; — without  work,  dreaming,  22 

' 


112  INDEX. 

RELIGIOUSNESS,  genuine,  springs  from  feeling  of  community  between  Child  and 

parents,  15 ; — lasting,  how  fostered,  16 
RELIGIOUS  TEACHING — what  it  is,  aims  to  do,  71 ; — presupposes  some  religious 

feeling,  ib. 
REST,  time,  space — (for  growth)  given  to  animals  and  plants,  denied  to  Man 

when  young,  5 
RHYTHMIC  MOTION— dandling— instinctive  in  Mothers,  37 

SCHOOL,  is  where  Man  learns  objects,  their  qualities,  and  laws,  50; — not  place  or 
person,  but  discipline,  51; — leads  from  outward  to  iiw.ird  view,  68; — 
through  language,  leads  Boy  to  threefold  knowledge  :  of  himself;  of  God  : 
of  Nature,  70  ;— should  grow  out  of,  never  be  divided  from.  Home,  93 

SCHOOLS  must  take  up  regular  bodily  work  :  have  work-hours,  22 

SCIENCE  of  Life,— of  Education,  defined,  2 

SEASONS  of  life,  not  artificially  divided,  16  ;  unfolding  of  each,  depends  on  that 
which  precedes,  17 

SENSES,  enable  Man  to  know  outerworld,  25 

SIMPLICITY  of  life,  in  children,  gives  happiness,  39 

SPEECH,  a  copy  of  Man's  whole  world,  86 

SPIRIT  of  God,  the,  speaks  in  Nature's  works,  75 

SPIRITUAL,  in  children,  belongs  to  the  Kingdom  of  God,  104 

STAGES,  of  Man's  development,  have  no  higher  and  lower  :  or,  earliest  is  most 
important,  28 

SUBJECTS  of  Teaching,  69 

SURROUNDINGS  of  Child,  most  momentous,  14 

TEACHERS  and  Pupils,  alike,  ruled  by  abstract  Right,  9: — scold  and  punish,  for 

faults  taught  by  themselves,  66 
TEACHING,  subjects  of,  69 
THINGS,  known  by  their   opposites,  25; — and   properties  first :    names      fter- 

wards,  80 
THOUGHTLESSNESS  of  Boys  :  cured  only  by  exercise  of  thought,  64 ; — examples 

of,  65 

TOIL  ;  not  for  needs  of  Life,  first,  20 
TOWNS  should  provide  play-grounds  for  Boy-world,  59 
TRAINING,  that  thwarts  Nature— hurtful,  6;— (genuine)  can   grow   only  from 

knowledge  of  Man,  n  ; — in  Work,  as  needful  as  in  Religion,  22 

UNION  of  School  and  Home,  pressing  demand  of  to-day,  93 

UNIVERSITY:  what  is  it?  82;  will  teach  aright,  when  children  rightly  trained, 

ib. 
UNSPOILED  CONDITION — in  Nature,  and  Man, — most  rare,  6 ;  to  be  assumed, 

while  possible,  ib. 
USK,  as  well  as  joy,  in  Song,  99,  100 

WAY  TO  GOD,  a,  from  every  object  of  Nature,  82 

WISDOM,  highest  aim  of  Man,  2  ; — best  result  of  effort,  ib.; — twofold  work,  of,  3 

WORDS,  to  be  closely  bound  to  Things,  87 

WORK,  bodily,  false  notions  of  its  value,  19  ; — without  Religion,  drudgery,  22 

WRITING,  and  Reading,  89 ;   picture — and   alphabet — ib. ;    31 ; — by   them  Man 

rises  above    every  known  creature,   90; — give    the    possibility  of  Man's 

complete  knowledge  of  Man. 


EDUCATION. 


Compayre''S  History  Of  Pedagogy.      "  The  best  and  most  comprehensive  history  ot 

Education  in  English."  —  Dr.  G.  S.  HALL.    $1.75. 
Compayre*'S  Lectures  On  Teaching.      "  The  best  book  in  existence  on  the  theory  and 

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Compayre"'s  Psychology  Applied  to  Education.      A  clear  and  concise  statement 

of  doctrine  ar.d  application  on  the  science  and  art  of  teaching.     90  cts. 

De  Garmo's  Essentials  Of  Method.      A  practical  exposition  of  methods  with  illustra- 

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De   Garmo's   Lindner's   Psychology.      The  best   Manual  ever  prepared  from  the 

Herbartian  standpoint.     $1.00. 
Gill's  Systems  Of  Education.      "  It  treats  ably  of  the  Lancaster  and  Bell  movement 

in  education,  —  a  very  important  phase."  —  Dr.  W.  T.  HARRIS.     $1.25. 

Hall's  Bibliography  of  Pedagogical  Literature.    Covers  every  department  of 

education.     Interleaved,  *$2.oo.     $1.50. 

Herford's  Student's  Froebel.  The  purpose  of  this  little  book  is  to  give  young  people 
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Malleson's  Early  Training  of  Children.     "The  best  book  for  mothers  I  ever 

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Marwedel'S    ConSCiOUS   Motherhood.     The  unfolding  of  the   child's   mind  in  the 

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Newsholme's  School  Hygiene.      Already  in  use  in  the  leading  training  colleges  in 

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PestalOZZi's  Leonard  and  Gertrude.  "  If  we  except  '  Emile '  only,  no  more  im- 
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RadestOCk'S  Habit  in  Education.  "  It  will  prove  a  rare  '  find '  to  teachers  who  are 
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Methods  Of  Teaching  Modern  Languages.      Papers  on  the  value  and  on  methods 

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Sanford's  Laboratory  Course  in  Physiological  Psychology.     The  course 

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Smell,  Hearing,  Vision,  Psychophysic.     In  Press. 

Lange's  Apperception :  A  monograph  on  Psychology  and  Pedagogy.  Trans- 
lated by  the  members  of  the  Herbart  Club,  under  the  direction  of  President  Charles 
DeGarmo,  of  Swarthmore  College,  ji.oo. 

Herbart's  Science  Of  Education.  Translated  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Felken  with  a  pref- 
ace by  Oscar  Browning.  Ji.oo. 

Tracy's   Psychology   Of  Childhood.     This  is  the  first  general  treatise  covering  in  • 
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Sent  by  mail,  postpaid,  on  receipt  of  price. 

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BOSTON.        NEW  YORK.        CHICAGO. 


138 


EDUCATION. 


Lect^lres  to  Kinder gartners. 

By  ELIZABETH  P.  PEABODY.    Cloth.    233  pages.    Retail  price,  Jli.oo. 

'T^HESE  lectures  were  published  at  the  urgency  of  a  large  number 
J-  of  Kindergartners.  The  first  introduced  and  interested  the  Bos- 
ton public  in  Kindergarten  education.  The  seven  others  are  those 
which,  for  nine  or  ten  successive  years,  Miss  Peabody  addressed  to 
the  training  classes  for  Kindergartners,  in  Boston  and  other  cities. 
They  begin  with  the  natural  exemplification  of  Froebel's  System  in 
the  nursery,  followed  by  two  lectures  on  how  the  nursery  opens  up 
into  the  Kindergarten  through  the  proper  use  of  language  and  conver- 
sation with  children,  finally  developing  into  equipoise  the  child's  rela- 
tions to  his  fellows,  to  nature,  and  to  God.  Miss  Peabody  draws 
many  illustrations  from  her  own  psychological  observations  of  child- 
life. 

See  special  circular,  which  is  sent  free  on  request. 


A  Leading  Teacher:  The  best 
book  outside  of  the  Bible  that  I  ever  saw. 

Col.  P.  W.  Parker,  Prin.  Cook  Co. 
Normal  School,  III. :  It  is  an  excellent 
book  for  all  Kindergartners,  in  fact,  for 
all  mothers  and  teachers.  I  intend  to  re- 
commend it  whenever  I  can. 

The  Academy,  London :  The 
writer  is  well  known  as  an  enthusiastic 
and  self-sacrificing  apostle  of  Froebelian- 
ism,  and  one  to  whom  the  cause  of  educa- 
tion in  America  owes  very  much.  The 
lectures  are  well  worthy  of  the  author's 
other  labors  and  will  give  an  explanation 
of  the  kindergarten  system  very  welcome 
to  many  who  have  no  opportunities  of 
making  themselves  acquainted  with  it 
more  formally. 

Educational  Review,  St.  Johns, 
N,  B. :  Not  only  is  it  invaluable  to  the 
teacher  in  the  kindergarten,  but  especially 
to  all  teachers  in  our  primary  schools,  as 
well  as  to  head  masters  and  principals, 
who  should  know  what  kind  of  training  is 
done  in  the  lower  departments. 


London  Journal  of  Education : 

It  is  a  significant  fact,  that  ten  years  ago 
no  such  prominence  would  have  been 
assigned  to  Froebel.  People  who  are  grop- 
ing after  "  method,"  "  a  scientific  basis," 
or  "  a  wide  outlook  "  for  the  educator,  find 
in  Froebel  an  unexpected  friend  and  pro- 
phet, and  enforce  his  teachings  after  their 
own  fashion. 

The  Critic :  The  system  of  education 
which  Miss  Peabody  was  so  influential  in 
introducing  in  this  country  needs  now  no 
further  recommendation,  as  it  is  almost 
universally  acknowledged  to  contain  the 
germ  of  the  best  possible  methods  for  be- 
ginning the  education  of  the  young  child  ; 
but  these  lectures  are  still  interesting  and 
full  of  suggestion. 

Boston  Journal :  It  is  full  of  wise 
suggestions  and  helpful  hints,  adapted  to 
be  useful  to  all  who  have  anything  to  do 
with  the  care  and  training  of  children. 

Wisconsin  Journal  of  Educa- 
tion: The  lectures  are  very  suggestive 
and  contain  a  most  admirable  discussion 
of  the  Kiadergarten. 


EDUCATION.  139 


The  Studenfs  Froebel. 

By  WILLIAM  H.  HERFORD,  late  member  of  the  Universities  of  Bonn,  Berlin, 
and  Zurich.  Cloth.  128  pages.  Retail  price,  75  cents. 

THE  purpose  of  this  little  book,  as  stated  by  the  editor  in  his  preface, 
is  to  give  young  people,  who  are  seriously  preparing  themselves 
to  become  teachers,  a  brief  yet  full  account  of  Froebel's  Theory  of 
Education ;  his  practice  or  plans  of  method  is  reserved  for  a  second 
part.  This  book  is  adapted  from  Froebel's  Education  of  Humanity 
(Die  Erziehung  der  Menschheit},  published  in  1826.  The  editor  has 
tried  to  give  what  is  Froebel's  own  in  English  as  close  as  possible  to 
the  very  words  of  his  author.  The  book,  in  addition  to  an  Introduc- 
tion treating  of  the  subject  in  general,  has  chapters  on  The  Nursling, 
The  Child,  The  Boy,  and  The  School,  and  summaries  of  the  teachings. 

The  Psychology  of  Childhood. 

By  FREDERICK  TRACY,  Lecturer  in  Philosophy  in  the  University  of  Toronto, 
with  Introduction  by  President  G.  STANLEY  HALL  of  Clark  University.  Cloth. 
183  pages.  Retail  price,  90  cents. 

THE  author  has  in  this  work  undertaken  to  present  as  concisely,  yet 
as  completely,  as  possible,  the  results  of  the  systematic  study  of 
children,  and  has  included  everything  of  importance  that  can  be  found. 
Some  of  its  special  features  are  thus  summarized :  —  (i)  It  is  the  first 
general  treatise,  covering  the  whole  field  of  child  psychology.  (2)  It 
aims  to  contain  a  complete  summary,  up  to  date,  of  all  work  done  in 
this  field.  (3)  The  work  contains  a  large  amount  of  material,  the  re- 
sults of  the  author's  own  observations  on  children  as  well  as  those  of 
perhaps  a  score  of  very  reliable  observers.  (4)  The  subject  of  child- 
language  has  been  gone  into  with  especial  thoroughness,  from  an  en- 
tirely new  and  original  standpoint,  and  with  very  gratifying  results. 
(5)  A  very  exhaustive  bibliography,  containing,  it  is  believed,  every- 
thing of  value  that  has  ever  been  written  on  this  subject,  is  appended. 


J.  Clark  Murray,  Prof,  of  Philo- 
sophy, McGill  University,  Montreal,  Ca- 
nada: In  English  we  have  certainly  no 
original  work  on  the  psychology  of  child 
hood  to  compare  with  it,  and  even  among 
translations  from  German  and  French  there 
is  none  which  shows  such  a  mastery  of  the 
whole  subject. 


Earl  Barnes,  Department  of  Edu- 
cation, Leland  Stanford  Jr.  University, 
Cal. :  No  book  has  come  from  the  press 
during  the  past  year  which  I  have  been 
so  glad  to  see  as  this  one.  For  all  of  us 
who  are  carrying  on  courses  in  the  psychol- 
ogy of  children  it  will  prove  an  invaluable 
aid. 


1 4o  EDUCATION. 


The  Early  Training  of  Children. 

BY  MRS.  FRANK  MALLESON,  England.  Cloth.  127  pages.  Retail  price,  75 
cents. 

AN  invaluable  guide  to  mothers,  to  kindergartners  and  to  primary 
teachers.  The  topics  treated  are:  Infant  Life;  Nursery 
Management ;  The  Employment  and  Occupation  of  Children;  Train- 
ing in  Reverence,  in  Tritth,  in  Obedience,  and  in  the  other  Cardinal 
Virtues;  and  finally,  the  best  system  of  Rewards  and  Punishments. 
And  every  suggestion  is  practical.  Every  line  tells.  No  question  is 
treated  without  a  full  recognix:on  of  the  difficulties  involved,  and  no 
measure  recommended  which  has  not  stood  the  test  of  actual  trial, 
and  is  not  based  on  sound  educational  principles.  No  one  can  read 
the  book  without  sharing  the  author's  earnestness  and  faith. 

With  these  "  Notes"  and  Miss  Peabody's  Lectures  to  Kindergart- 
ners, the  most  inexperienced  mother  or  teacher  may  be  "  doubly 
armed." 

Comenius' s  The  School  of  Infancy. 

An  essay  on  the  education  of  youth  during  the  first  six  years.  Edited,  with  an 
introduction,  notes,  and  a  bibliography  of  the  Comenian  literature,  by  WILL  S. 
MONROE.  Cloth.  116  pages.  Portrait.  Retail  price,  jj>i.oo. 

'""THE  celebration  of  the  three  hundredth  anniversary  of  the  birth  of 
1  Comenius  has  given  great  impetus  to  his  fame.  A  man  who 
could  decline  the  presidency  of  Harvard  College,  who  was  invited 
by  Parliament  to  visit  England  and  remodel  her  schools,  and  whose 
advice  was  sought  by  several  Continental  powers,  is  entitled  to  a  hear- 
ing even  in  these  days.  Thus  far  his  "  School  of  Infancy,"  which  is  in 
some  respects  his  greatest  book,  and  is  at  least  the  most  practical  and 
modern  in  spirit,  has  been  but  little  known.  In  it  he  advocates  sense- 
training,  anticipates  modern  child-study  and  the  kindergarten,  cham- 
pions nature-study  and  naturalness  in  method,  provides  for  systematic 
physical  training,  and  declares  that  education  is  a  universal  right,  that 
knowledge  should  be  fitted  to  action,  and  that  the  school  should  pre- 
pare for  life.  The  genial  Quick  says  of  it :  "  '  The  School  of  Infancy ' 
has  not  had  anything  like  the  circulation  it  deserves."  The  book 
contains  a  portrait  of  Comenius,  an  introduction,  notes,  and  full  bibliog- 
raphy of  the  Comenian  literature ;  and  at  the  end  of  each  chapter 
cross-references  to  the  standard  literature  of  primary  education. 


MUSIC.  163 

Motion  Songs  for  Public  Schools. 

A  collection  of  songs  adapted  to  gestures,  with  descriptions  of  suitable  move- 
ments. By  MABEL  L.  PRAY,  Director  of  Physical  Culture,  Public  Schools, 
Toledo,  O.,  Graduate  of  the  Posse  Gymnasium,  Boston.  Boards.  Illustrated. 
Quarto,  65  pages.  Introduction  price,  oo  cents.  By  mail,  oo  cents. 

THIS  book  will  be  welcomed,  not  only  by  teachen^of  physical  train- 
ing, but  by  all  teachers  from  first  to  seventh  grades  in  public  or 
private  schools.  It  has  been  the  aim  of  the  author  to  make  the  work 
so  plain  that  teachers  without  previous  training  can  take  up  the  work. 

The  book  contains  about  sixty  pleasing  songs  suited  to  bring  the 
hands,  eye,  head  —  the  entire  carriage,  to  respond  to)  the  sentiment 
expressed.  The  songs  are  appropriate  to  the  different  seasons,  and 
about  a  third  of  them  are  adapted  to  older  grades. 

The  illustrations  are  from  photographs  of  public-school  children, 
and  most  of  the  songs  have  stood  the  test  of  schoolroom  trial. 

This  collection  will  be  something  to  aid  in  physical-culture  work, 
and  something  of  variety  for  school  celebrations  of  our  national  holidays. 


The  Supplementary  Third  Music  Reader. 

ooo  pages.     Boards.     Introduction  price,  $0.00.     By  mail,  $0.00. 

THIS  book  consists  entirely  of  the  songs  contained  in  the  Third 
Music  Reader  of  the  Whiting  Series,  with  piano  accompaniment. 

There  are  a  few  songs  in  each  key,  so  that  the  book  may  be  used  for 
sight-reading  lessons,  as  well  as  for  ensemble  singing. 

It  has  the  advantage  also  of  being  equally  well  adapted  to  rote  and 
unison  singing  in  the  lower  grades,  or  to  part  singing  in  the  higher 
grades.  None  of  the  songs  are  trivial  or  uninteresting,  and  many  are 
exceedingly  beautiful.  A  number  of  them  can  be  sung  in  three  and 
four  parts. 

The  accompaniments  have  been  very  carefully  written,  so  as  to  pre- 
sent as  few  technical  difficulties  as  possible;  and,  with  slight  altera- 
tions, the  bass  can  be  used  for  boys  whose  voices  have  changed. 

The  book  is  peculiarly  adapted  to  the  needs  of  schools  that  cannot 
be  well  graded. 


READING. 


Badlam's  Suggestive  Lessons  in  Language  and  Reading.  A  manual  for  pri- 
mary teachers.  Plain  and  practical ;  being  a  transcript  of  work  actually  done  in  the 
school- room.  $1.50. 

Badlam's  Stepping-Stones  to  Reading. —  A  Primer.    Supplements  the  283-page 

book  above.     Boards.     30  cts. 

Badlam's  First  Reader.  New  and  valuable  word-building  exercises,  designed  to  follow 
the  above.  Boards.  35  cts. 

Bass's  Nature  Stories  for  Young  Readers :  Plant  Life,  intended  to  supple- 
ment the  first  and  second  reading-books.  Boards.  30  cts. 

Bass's  Nature  Stories  for  Young  Readers :   Animal  Life.    Gives  lessons  on 

animals  and  their  habits.    To  follow  second  reader.     Boards.     40  cts. 

Fuller's  Illustrated  Primer.  Presents  the  word-method  in  a  very  attractive  form  to 
the  youngest  readers.  Boards.  30  cts. 

Fuller's  Charts.  Three  charts  for  exercises  in  the  elementary  sounds,  and  for  combin- 
ing them  to  form  syllables  and  words.  The  set  for  $1.25.  Mounted,  $2.25. 

Hall's  HOW  tO  Teach  Reading.  Treats  the  important  question:  what  children  should 
and  should  not  read.  Paper.  25  cts. 

Miller's  My  Saturday  Bird  Class.  Designed  for  use  as  a  supplementary  reader  in 
lower  grades  or  as  a  text-book  of  elementary  ornithology.  Boards.  30  cts. 

Norton's  Heart  Of  Oak  Books.  This  series  is  of  material  from  the  standard  imagin- 
ative literature  of  the  English  language.  It  draws  freely  upon  the  treasury  of  favorite 
stories,  poems,  and  songs  with  which  every  child  should  become  familiar,  and  which 
have  done  most  to  stimulate  the  fancy  and  direct  the  sentiment  of  the  best  men  and 
women  of  the  English-speaking  race.  Book  I,  100  pages,  25  cts.;  Book  II,  142  pages, 
35  cts. ;  Book  III,  265  pages,  45  cts. ;  Book  IV,  303  pages,  55  cts. ;  Book  V,  359  pages, 
65  cts. ;  Book  VI,  367  pages,  75  cts. 

Smith's  Reading  and  Speaking.  Familiar  Talks  to  those  who  would  speak  well  in 
public.  70  cts. 

Spear's  Leaves  and  Flowers.  Designed  for  supplementary  reading  in  lower  grades 
or  as  a  text-book  of  elementary  botany.  Boards.  30  cts. 

Ventura's  Mantegazza'S  Testa.  A  book  to  help  boys  toward  a  complete  self-develop- 
ment. $1.00. 

Wright's  Nature  Reader,  NO.  I.  Describes  crabs,  wasps,  spiders,  bees,  and  some 
univalve  mollusks.  Boards.  30  cts. 

Wright's  Nature  Reader,  NO.  II.  Describes  ants,  flies,  earth-worms,  beetles,  bar- 
nacles and  star-fish.  Boards.  40  cts. 

Wright's  Nature  Reader,  NO.  III.  Has  lessons  in  plant-life,  grasshoppers,  butter- 
flies, and  birds.  Boards.  60  cts. 

Wright's  Nature  Reader,  NO.  IV.  Has  lessons  in  geology,  astronomy,  world-life, 
etc.  Boards.  70  cts. 

For  advanced  supplementary  reading  see  our  list  of  books  in  English  Literature. 


D.    C.    HEATH    &    CO.,    PUBLISHERS, 

BOSTON.        NEW  YORK.        CHICAGO. 


STA 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 

Los  Angeles 
This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below. 


DEC  2  9  1958 
JAN  5     1959 

JUL  6     1959 
JUL131S59 

DEC  1  7  1959 


SUBJECT  TO  FINE  IF  NOT  RETURNED  TO. 

EDUCATION  ILIBRARY 

,-FR  LOAN 


NOV  1  1  196P 


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E.DU./PSYCH. 
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